Spinach Mushroom Quiche

And Easter Tradition!

1 (9 inch) deep dish pie crust
Butter
1 c. chopped raw onion
small splash balsamic vinegar (for caramelizing, optional)
8 oz. fresh mushrooms (I prefer the Baby Bella's)
8-9 oz pkg. frozen spinach
1 c. shredded Swiss
1 c. shredded cheddar
1/4 c. shredded Parmesan (optional)
4-5 eggs, beaten
splash or two of milk
salt and pepper, to taste

PREP: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Caramelize onion with touch of butter, a pinch of pepper, & optional splash of balsamic vinegar (just a light touch). Lightly saute sliced mushrooms in butter. (I cut back on the butter use by added a touch of water if needed.) Heat or thaw frozen spinach.

COMBINE caramelized onion, mushrooms, spinach, & cheeses. (OPTIONAL to save some of cheese for top once in the pie shell.) Mix well.

BEAT eggs, season, & add splash of milk.

ADD egg mixture to mushroom mixture. Combine well. Season to taste with salt & pepper.

POUR egg & mushroom mixture into pie crust.

BAKE in 400 degree oven about 35 minutes until brown and bubbly.

Cute shoes?

I just want be able to find a cute pair of vegan shoes as easily as any other kind of cute shoe. I ordered a pair online, they're alright, but not quite a "cute shoe" and the first time I wore them they gave me blisters. Ugh!

"Cause She's..."

Ugh!

This is a picture of the ad my brothers found so awesome, they felt the need to display it on the refrigerator for a long time. Oh darn, I think it disappeared.

Famous Vegetarian Musicians

Everyday yumminess!

Inspired by some Naan that was picked up yesterday at the grocery I sauteed up some onion, mushrooms, carrot, broccoli, and spinach and placed it inside the Naan (gently warmed under the broiler) with some swiss cheese. This are the days that just make me glad to be a vegetarian. Lovely and wonderful.

Paul McCartney Discusses His Vegetarian Lifestyle

Go Naked

There are something you like just because they make you feel good. 'Green Machine' Naked is one of those things for me. Love. Love. Love. Naked Green Machine was my breakfast with a sun-dried tomato bagel with melted cheese and pesto for lunch. (This is what happens when one is out running errands and does not want fast food.)

Dinner was all about embracing some black bean chili I had in the freezer paired with toasted cheese on a roasted garlic bread picked up at the grocery today. Yum! A banana for dessert.

Freezer Stock Paying Off

As the snow piles up outside I have renewed thankfulness for my Freezer Stocking Soup Tour as I have some the ease of pulling out corn chowder from the freezer.

Dinner seems to be all about comfort food (Breakfast for Dinner mindset) with white peppered gravy over biscuits, sprinkled with shredded cheddar and french fried onion and two Morning Star "sausage" patties (I love the maple flavored ones). Completed with some hashbrowns and canned mandarin orange slices. (Seems only fitting since breakfast was a vegetable eggroll.)

Famous Vegetarian Poets, Writers, & Painters

Lovely

I love being able to share some of the interesting and often inspiring things I find along the way. I hope this inspires you!

Family Gathering

We had a delayed family Christmas and due to circumstances, it wasn't until today. As mentioned before I am the only vegetarian in my family and this year, since my grandpa's recent death, I had not one to cook for but myself. I had frozen extras of both my Thanksgiving Vegetable Wellington and my Christmas spinach mushroom pastry for just such an event, and I FORGOT IT at home. I tried to call home and ask my brothers to grab one of them out of the freezer, but they had already left. Instead I was left with a few choice from the appetizers (spinach artichoke dip, cheese, olives, and pickles), corn, rolls, and a green bean casserole that was somehow not quite right and undercooked. The potato casserole included cream of chicken (yeck!) and the baked beans (which I never was much the fan) had bacon. I keep waiting for the day when they remember that there is a vegetarian in their family, but eight years hasn't let to much improvement. Oh well, it was otherwise a decent day and a good reminder for next time to take something.

Veg Cinderella

Quiet NIght on the Food Front

As much as I love soups, stews,, and chowders, I am taking a break today from the Soup Stocking (I've spent a few hours cleaning out and re-organizing the kitchen cabinets and drawers) and pulled out a Spinach Mushroom Pastry I had frozen when I made them for Christmas dinner. I love having stuff in the freezer for nights I don't feel like cooking. I Stuck the pastry in the the oven with some carrots roasted with onion and seasoning. A very nice supper for me, even if it is just for me.


Food Pyramid Reference for Vegetarians and Vegans.

Freezer Stock 2011 - The Soup Tour Continues: Frenchie Onion Soup

My soup stocking tour for this chilly January continues as today I made a lovely homemade French Onion soup using a vegetable stock, onion, garlic, a touch of vegan Worcestershire sauce (for richness), and seasoning, topped with some toasted multi grain bread and cheese under the broiler. The onions sweated and then the soup simmered for a while. After topping it with the toasted bread and cheese under the broiler, I served it along side some beautiful roasted veggies (carrot, broccoli, mushroom, onion, and a bit of garlic). I love it when a good meal comes together. Unfortunately, for my family no one else partook in the yumminess and they continue to find it "weird."

For those out there that don't believe that a vegetarian can still be a "foodie" I say to you, "HA!." There is something so marvelous about good food that is cooked slow and with care and without a lot of crap thrown into it.

One Vegetarian Cuisine World at Nickelodeon's Kids Choice Awards Gift Lo...

Enjoy! (I'm always on the lookout for something interesting.)

Freezer Stock - The Soup Tour Continues: Broccoli Cheese and a "Sink" Soup

So the Stock The Freezer - Soup Tour 2011 continues as I made a homemade broccoli cheese soup tonight for dinner (very yum!) with a recipe I improvised along the way. (I looked through a few different recipes before hand, got an idea for how other make it, contemplated what I liked about some of those recipes and what I had one hand, then experimented in my own.) The extra was bagged, labeled, and put in the freezer. The second of tonight, "Sink" soup, is simmering on the stove as I type... a vegetable soup that I derived the name from the idea of "every but the kitchen sink." (I haven't come up with a better name yet.) I keep a tub in the freezer where I collect bits of leftover or last bits of stuff to use up such as rice, vegetables, veggie broth, mushrooms, beans, or vegetarian gravy. These can be roasted, sauteed, steamed, or raw. When the container (and in this case a small freezer bag) are full I cook them down into a lovely soup, that has the house smelling quite nice right now. It's a great way to use up leftovers and have a wonderful soup full of texture, tastes, and overall yumminess. I love having soups, stews, and chowders in the freezer in individual servings. Convenient and I know what went into them.

And for you viewing pleasure and to go with ongoing theme (I keep finding these gems that just are begging to be shared) I found a Classic Sesame Street - Captain Vegetable. Enjoy!

Freezer Stock - The Soup Tour: Corn Chowder

I'm back to somewhat cooking regular and trying to get over the heaviness, richness, and junk that often comes with the holidays. For lunch today I roasted mushrooms, broccoli, some carrot and onion with a little but of seasoning and olive oil. Then stuffed the roasted veggies into a warmed pita with a touch of shredded cheese, shredded lettuce, and a touch of ranch dressing. Yum! While the veggies were in the oven roasting to perfection, I started my corn chowder for dinner. So so nice! I made enough chowder to help with me "Freezer Stock - The Soup Tour."

Also, in the spirit of things included link to an ABC Good Morning America segment on on "The Value of a Vegetarian Diet."

Update!

UPDATE: Still cooking when I can. Dating a vegetarian (now there IS a new one) and have been for a few months now. Survived Christmas. Almost couldn't find vegan Worcestershire sauce for the Chex mix (thankfully, I found Annie's brand at my local Meijer). Explored some new holiday main dish ideas, keeping the Vegetable Wellington for Thanksgiving, but made a mini spinach and portabella mushroom mix inside a puffed pastry (inspired by the Greek spanakopita) with a bit of onion, garlic (of course), and cheese. I have extras of both in the freezer. New computer (the old one crashed, it will be missed).


Now, for something to remind me (or us as the case may be) that we are not alone. There are more of us then some would like us to think. :-) Enjoy!

Something fun.

Something to, hopefully, make you smile.

"What's missing?"

"Can you tell what's missing?" - Another "Hell's Kitchen" clip I just had to share.

Makes You Think!

Don't usually watch "Hell's Kitchen," but this clip was just begging to be shared.