Breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day, but also one of my favorites. I typically don't have time during the week to make big breakfasts; my smoothies are typical my go-to. Weekends are my time to make up for that. This is one my favorite quiche recipes. It's a super tasty, hearty recipe that is pretty simple to make. It's also a great dish for the kids or to take to parties and potlucks.

​This is a crustless recipe, but I layer the cupcake pan first with hash browns, which creates a nice hearty filling and a little bit of texture. You can't go wrong with potatoes!

Cook/Prep Time: 35 mins
Serving: Makes 12 mini-quiches

Ingredients:
For Egg Mixture:

• 6 eggs
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 cup fresh dill

For veggie filling:

• 1 1/2 cups crimini mushrooms, chopped
• 2 orange or red bell peppers, chopped
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• sea salt and pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 cups of frozen shredded hash brown, defrosted
• Optional: Top with shredded cheese of your choice (I like munster to gruyere)

It's getting hot in herre' but your body doesn't have to!

Let's face it, DC's hot and muggy summers can be quite uncomfortable, particularly if you hate the heat, and/or if you are a west-coaster like myself (this AZ girl prefers the dry heat!). While I am grateful this this summer has been more mild and cooler than most summers, it can still get pretty hot at times. During hot months, it's great to eat more cooling and hydrating foods to keep you hydrated and balanced.

This is even more critical for someone like myself, whose body type tends to get overheated very quickly. According to my Ayurvedic Body Type-Pitta, I should avoid spicier (heating) foods and favor more cooling foods to keep me balanced. In my early 20's I never paid attention to how I felt, or how my body reacted when I ate certain foods. The last 6 years or so, I started to be more mindful about what I was putting in my body, as well as paying more attention to how my body felt after I ate certain foods. This has made a word of difference for me-its helped my skin, digestion and my energy significantly.

I created this smoothie in the spirit of those watermelon lovers, 'Pitta Peeps,' and anyone who wants something refreshing to them cool down this summer. The aromatic-spiciness of the fennel compliments the sweetness of the watermelon very well; then its topped with a touch of lime and mint to keep it cool and balanced.

Watermelon, Cucumber, Fennel and Mint Smoothie

• 1 1/2 cups of kale
• 1 1/2 cups of watermelon
• 1/2 cup of honeydew
• 1/4 cup of fennel
• 1 tablespoon of mint (2-4 leaves to taste)
• 1 cucumber
• 1/2 lime, squeezed
• 1 cup of coconut water
• Serving: One 16oz smoothie

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