Pie in the Sky.

Another gloomy start to my morning, which tempts me to crawl back into bed and sleep until sunshine wakes me. But here I am, awake and ready....to do nothing. This weather really helps NOT motivating me to go for a run, which I keep putting off to the next day which is why it has yet to happen. Today's the day! Officially being done with school leaves an agenda filled with free time, which for me is lackluster. I enjoy keeping busy and having something to do all the time, which may be enough to drag me into my sneakers for a run today. Cross your fingers.

As you know I was a busy bee in the kitchen yesterday, preparing dishes to last me 'til the end of the week with graduation and going home for my party festivities. I'm also trying to use up what I have left here so A) I have less to bring home when I move out, and B) Save me a trip to the grocery store. I don't think I'll make it another week without some fresh fruit, and non-frozen veggies, but maybe my trip home will provide me with a grab-bag of groceries (and party leftovers!) But for now I am getting by, and with one of my favorite newfound recipes: Spinach and Feta Pie. I adapted this one from SkinnyTaste, one of my favorite food blogs out there. It's a cross between a quiche and spanakopita, a greek appetizer of spinach and feta wrapped in flaky phyllo dough. Both of these I love, so this recipe was a no-brainer. It's LOADED, and I mean loaded with spinach, so no way to pick your way through this one if your not a fan. If you are...Jackpot! I apologize in advance for the cruddy quality of the pictures. Natural lighting is hard to come by with these gloomy days, so this is what I get with my camera.

Spinach and Feta Pie
serves 4
10 oz Frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1/2 Red onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup Crumbled feta cheese (Reduced-fat if you can find it)
2 T Salt-free italian seasoning (I used Mrs. Dash, or substitute 2 T each of fresh dill and parsley)
2 T Grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup Whole wheat flour
1 tsp Baking powder
2/3 cup fat-free milk
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp each Salt & Pepper

Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees, and spraying a casserole dish with cooking spray. I used an 8x8 square glass casserole dish. Set aside.

Next, combine the spinach, onion, cheeses, seasonings, eggs, and milk in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. Add to spinach mixture, and stir until throughly combined.

Transfer the mixture to your prepared casserole dish, and pop it in the oven for about 30 minutes, or until it is nice and golden on the top.

Love the color!

At around 150 calories a serving, this is a nice light dish that can be served for just about any meal, and makes a nice side dish for brunch. By excluding a crust, you wipe out a majority of the calories and fat that a quiche normally has, but still packs a delicious flavor without the guilt.

If you serve this as a side dish, obviously it would serve more, but I had mine as a main dish, served alongside a salad topped with my Edamame Salad, which gets better and better the more it 'mingles'.

Enjoy this gloomy day, I'm off for a run now. (See, now I HAVE to go!)

Rainy Daze

*Insert deep sigh here* They are still in the process of setting up the field of chairs for graduation, which is officially less than 4 days away! Our graduating class is the largest to come out of Keene State with 1,171 students, and we have to sit through it. Yay!! On a positive note, the forecast seems to have us on its side with 70 degrees and no rain! No sun either, but I'll take it!

(courtesy of weather.com)

Both of my only finals are this afternoon which has left me plenty of dilly-dally time. I did some work on campus, and returned an old book for a whopping 50 cents! Score a gum ball for me! I also prepared some recipes to last me the rest of the week, and share with all of you. A quick and easy one for lunch was guiltless egg salad for one. It was inspired by a post on Eating Bird Food, except i was out of curry powder so just made a good ol' fashion sandwich to pair with a cup of homemade pea and lentil soup. Perfect for a rainy day such as now!

Egg Salad Sandwich

serves 1

1 hard boiled egg

1 1/2 T plain non-fat yogurt (either regular or greek)

2 tsp relish

1 tsp dijon mustard

salt and pepper to taste

2 slices whole wheat bread, lightly toasted

couple leaves of fresh spinach 

Start by peeling the egg, and mashing in a bowl with a fork. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Serve on your toasted bread and top with spinach, and if you like a bit of heat like me, a dash of cayenne. Dig in!

Not much of a recipe, but just an idea of how to make a healthy spin, on a sandwich that tends to get a bad rep. Eggs are not bad for you! Repeat to yourself until it sticks in. 4 years of nutrition courses tell you that the cholesterol you get from eggs does NOT negatively impact your overall cholesterol, but rather saturated fat does. Yes, eggs do have some saturated fat, but also healthy vitamins and minerals, which make them a satisfying choice. Now don't go crazy and go eating 12 egg omelets every day. The good ol' nutrition mantra is "everything in moderation." The yogurt instead of mayo also cuts back the saturated fat you would get from mayo, but still gives you the creaminess, without the guilt! 

Off to finish my college career now, no biggie.

What's your favorite rainy day activity?