Caramelized Onion, Spinach, Quinoa Quiche Bites

These caramelized onion, spinach, quinoa quiche bites are easy and loaded with healthy goodness. I am always looking for breakfast choices that are good for everyone, and these pass the test and more. Quinoa is dubbed a superfood and with good cause. Look at the health benefits in one cup of quinoa…and then you have eggs, spinach and onion on top of that…heavenly!

• Protein: 8 grams.
• Fiber: 5 grams.
• Manganese: 58% of the RDA.
• Magnesium: 30% of the RDA.
• Phosphorus: 28% of the RDA.
• Folate: 19% of the RDA.
• Copper: 18% of the RDA.
• Iron: 15% of the RDA.
• Zinc: 13% of the RDA.
• Potassium: 9% of the RDA.
• Over 10% of the RDA for Vitamins B1, B2 and B6.
• Small amounts of Calcium, B3 (Niacin) and Vitamin E.

and then you have eggs, spinach and onion on top of the nutritional punch from the quinoa!

Caramelized Onion, Spinach, Quinoa Quiche Bites

Ingredients

• olive oil spray
• 6 eggs
• 1/4 C milk
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 C cooked quinoa
• 1/2 C shredded swiss cheese
• 1/2 C frozen spinach, thawed and liquids squeezed out
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• pinch of cayenne pepper

Directions

Coat a 24 cup mini muffin pan generously with olive oil

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees

Cook quinoa according to package directions, let cool

Heat olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion, and season with salt, then toss to coat in oil. Arrange the onion into an even layer in the pan, and cook, stirring occasionally, but retaining an even layer. Cook until the onions caramelize, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper, until mixed.

Add the quinoa, mix evenly.

Add spinach, cheese, and onions, mixing until evenly combined.

Pour mixture into the mini muffin pans, careful to not overfill. The mix shouldn’t expand too much, but to be safe and avoid a mess, do not overfill.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until the eggs are set.

Let cool for a few minutes, serve immediately.

Fresh Spring Salad With Strawberries

Fresh Spring Salad With Strawberries

In an effort to capture some of spring’s essence, I tossed together some of the ingredients from my fridge. The result is a salad that I will be serving again, and again. The fresh sweet strawberries, atop organic spinach and mixed greens, lightly dressed with a lemon herb vinaigrette…ah spring is in the air! The strawberries and lemon go so good with the crisp spinach and peppery arugula. Adding a delicious goat cheese, with some of your favorite nuts, could make this an easy week night meal. Hello sunshine and your sweet and delicious spring bounty!

Ingredients:

Organic spinach

Organic mixed greens

Strawberries, hulled and halved

Lemon Herb Vinaigrette:

1/2 C extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

1/4 cup lemon juice (from approximately 2 lemons)

2 teaspoons honey

2 teaspoons dijon mustard

2 T chopped chives

2 T chopped parsley

2 Teaspoon tarragon

salt and pepper

In a medium jar with a tight-fitting lid, place lemon zest plus juice, honey, Dijon mustard, olive oil, chives, parsley, and tarragon. Season with salt and pepper, tighten lid, and shake to combine.  Add the strawberries and greens to a large salad bowl and toss to coat evenly in dressing. Excess vinaigrette can be stored and refrigerated, up to 5 days.

Planting a spring vegetable garden

Planting a spring vegetable garden brings me so much joy…and delicious healthy food! The sun has been shining, and temperatures are warm. That tells me its time to get to planting! What will you add to your garden? I have my list and am ready to prepare my soil and get to planting! Gardening to me is therapeutic, and gives such satisfaction when you reap the benefits of your hard work. We all know that food is medicine, if you eat the right things! Ensure that you eat healthy by planting that medicine in your own back yard.

Here are some planting tips from P. Allen Smith Garden Home (pallensmith.com). Each of these cool weather vegetables will soon be growing in my back yard! Ah Spring, sun, planting and fun! Then to eat! Yummy!

Arugula – Sow seeds in the garden as soon as soil can be worked in spring. They will germinate in about 7 days and are ready to harvest in 3 to 4 weeks. For a continuous harvest, sow seeds every 2 weeks until temperatures heat up.

Beets – Sow seeds in early spring as soon as the soil can be worked. Beets prefer a well-drained, sandy soil. Avoid high nitrogen fertilizers as this will encourage top growth at the expense of root development. As with all root crops good soil aeration is key to uniform, robust development. Consistent moisture is also important. Keep areas weed free to avoid competition for nutrients.

Carrots – Sow seeds in spring about 2 weeks before the last frost date. Carrots need deep, loose soil to form a robust root. Keep the bed weeded to avoid competition for nutrients from other plants. Too much nitrogen will result in forked roots. When the seedlings are about 2-inches tall, thin them so there is about 1 to 4-inches between them. Cover the shoulders with mulch or soil to keep them from turning green and bitter.

Sugar Snap Peas – Direct sow in the garden 4 to 6 weeks before the last frost date in your area. They will germinate in soil temperatures as low as 40 degrees F. Seedlings will survive a late snow and short periods of temperatures down to 25 degrees F.

Kale – You can plant kale in early spring, about 3 to 5 weeks before the last frost date. Cover with frost blankets during severe cold. Similar to collards very fertile soil is ideal to encourage rapid growth and tender leaves.

Spinach – Spinach seeds can be sown over frozen ground to germinate as the soil thaws. Transplants can be set out 4 weeks before the last frost date in your area. Fertilize when the plants are about 4 inches tall. Spinach prefers very fertile soil to encourage rapid growth and tender leaves. Once the days get long and warm it will bolt, meaning that it grows tall, blooms and becomes bitter tasting. For grit-free leaves select plain leaf varieties such as Giant Nobel and Olympia.

Swiss Chard – Swiss Chard is one the more beautiful vegetables in the garden. Bright Lights and Ruby are favorites for adding color to the garden and the dinner table. Plant or sow seeds 2 weeks before the last frost date in your area. Thin to 6-inches apart when seedlings are 3-inches tall. Water regularly.

Radish – Sow radish seeds in the garden about 4 weeks before the last frost date in your area. No feeding necessary, but soil should be fertile and well drained. They are quick to mature so check them regularly. They are ready to harvest as soon as they are of edible size.

Lettuce – Sow lettuce any time in spring when the soil is workable. Lettuce is more sensitive to cold than other cool season vegetables and should definitely be covered during cold snaps. The ideal day time temperature is between 60 and 70 degrees. Fertilize with fish emulsion, which is high in nitrogen. Lettuce will grow in partial shade and actually appreciates the shelter from intense

Onions – Onions can be grown from sets, small bulbs, or transplants, which look like scallions and come in a bundle of 60 or so. Either method should be planted in early spring as soon as the soil is workable. Long-day varieties are suitable for Northern gardens and short-day varieties can be planted in the South. Place time release fertilizer in the planting hole so that it is close to the roots. Follow the fertilizer’s label directions.

Happy planting!! 🙂

http://www.pallensmith.com/articles/spring-vegetable-garden