Spinach, artichoke & mushroom quiche is the perfect dinner to make when you’re almost out of groceries and you have no time to make dinner.

This is also known as my life every day now.

I am nonstop from the moment I wake up to the moment my head crashes into the pillow. Since going back to work and moving life got much crazier, but I am on a mission to lose the last of my pregnancy weight regardless. This is a healthy and simple dish that I’ve made a few times already. The crust baking in the oven makes my home smell like an old Italian bakery in the middle of the night, and the cleanup is as easy as washing the bowl you used for the mixture. Be lazy like me and keep frozen pie crusts on hand and you can have a fantastic dinner ready in a flash.

Spinach, artichoke, & mushroom quiche
Makes 2 quiches

Ingredients:
2 frozen pie crusts*
6 eggs
1/4 cup skim milk
1 15 oz can artichoke hearts, chopped
1 box frozen spinach, defrosted and strained of all liquid
4 large button mushrooms, sliced

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Beat your eggs in a large bowl. Add the milk, artichoke hearts, spinach and mushrooms.
3. Remove the pie crusts from the freezer and spread the mixture evenly in each crust.
4. Bake until cooked through and the crust is golden, about 20 minutes for us.
5. Enjoy paired with your favorite salad!

*Whole Foods sells a great pie crust with only 5 ingredients. Look for that one!

And now I’m off to simultaneously play with my baby, call in a work order, unload the dishwasher and watch the news.

PS- This tastes even better the next day.

PPS- Check out my latest Babycenter post on starting solids.

I really need your help!

PhillyBoy is planning this great event after church in the spring, and he asked me to head up the light lunch. Anyone who signs up in advance and pays $10 will be able to enjoy the light lunch during the program he is coordinating.

Here are the issues:

1. It has to be vegetarian since it’s during Lent.
2. I have to keep it as inexpensive as possible (not my strength at all).
3. It must be easy to make in big batches- we are looking to hopefully serve around 100 people.
4. It has to appeal to all ages.

I was thinking we could do a lentil dish of some sort, but not everyone likes lentils. Then I was thinking about grilled vegetable and mozzarella sandwiches, but I wonder how cost effective that could be. I was considering some sort of mezze plate with hummus, pita, tabouleh and vegetarian stuffed grape leaves but I don’t know if that will satisfy the “light lunch” term.  I am leaning toward some sort of a grain salad that is filling and delicious with a clementine for dessert (as well as some donated desserts), but I am really not sure.

Don’t laugh- but I literally have woken up in the middle of the night the last 2 nights panicking over this luncheon! I think the reason why I’m nervous is the largest event I’ve done was for 50 people with a large budget, and this is for twice that with a teeny budget.

I want to make PhillyBoy proud…

Please help!

ETA: I just learned that it must actually be vegan, and note that it is feeding an Armenian crowd. Even more challenging!

The girls are coming over!

I have wanted to have a couple of friends from church over for lunch for months now. It seems like work and life in general are always too busy, but I finally found a day that works! Since lunch is during the work week I don’t have too much time. The solution is to make some fantastic easy sandwiches, toss in a few crunchy sides, and put together some fruit and chocolate for dessert.

And they are bringing their babies! I can’t wait!!!!!

An Easy Girls’ Lunch

Panini
Chicken, Roasted Red Pepper & Mozzarella
Grilled Eggplant, Zucchini, & Mozzarella
Caprese

Sides
Kettle Chips
Carrot Sticks with Hummus

Dolce
Grapes & Pineapple
Godiva Chocolates
Chocolate Chip Cookies!!!!!

******

P.S. Have you seen the Tofu U videos I did for Nasoya a couple of months ago? The bloopers one is hilarious!

Don’t judge me for judging you… but I do judge.

I believe everyone should know the beauty of a simple sandwich made with ingredients practically still covered in dirt, smelling of the garden, warm from the sun.

I live in the city. The city of Philadelphia, not New York. I do not have the aforementioned garden.

(source)

But lots of other people do, and they bring me that beautiful produce.

When I build a recipe, I always think first and foremost about what items are at the peak of their season just then and there. However, I also believe in buying the best of imported products now and again. There is one brand of olive oil I used to buy in Florence, Italy when I lived there for a year, and I would just die to get some on my hands now. Until I can sneak away for a weekend of delicious Tuscan food and pack my suitcase with cloudy pressed Florentine olive oil, I settle for the imports at my local market.

For the basil, I simply pick some from the pot on my windowsill (which is still alive after a few weeks) or buy the most vibrant bunch I can find at my local farm market. You’ll know it’s good if the smell of home instantly fills your kitchen upon unpacking the bunch. At least, that is what it smells like in my house.

Tomatoes are so easy at this time of year. I prefer the ugliest tomatoes I can find, knowing that they will be passed on by even though they are the tastiest. They are hearty and almost meaty and I love to eat them like apples, sprinkled with salt. For this panino, I like to cut big thick slices and let a bit of the juice drain off so they don’t make the bread soggy.

Speaking of the word panino, it is panino, not panini, and I judge because of that. I don’t know where the crazy started, but it should be paninO for singular and paninI for plural. I don’t know why this bugs me so much, but it does. It annoys me almost as much as hearing Giada say “Mozzarelllllla” with her strong Italian accent in the middle of an English sentence.

When it comes time to select your cheese, try and find a local dairy farm. My Whole Foods carries the most delicate local mozzarella that just melts in your mouth, and when they have stock I usually buy more than one container. DiBruno’s also makes some in house that will make you think you’re in Italy.

After you have all of those ingredients, all you are missing is the bread. Go for the best! I like to use fresh ciabatta bread, but use the best option your local bakery has.

When you buy the highest quality ingredients, you can get away with making a panino for a guest. You can also get away with calling the simple list below a recipe.

Caprese Panino
Serves 2

Ingredients:
2 large portions of ciabatta sliced in half (about 1/3 loaf)
1 large summer tomato, sliced
handful fresh basil
1 large ball of mozzarella
olive oil for brushing the bread
kosher salt to taste

Directions:
Preheat a panino maker or grill pan. Layer 2 pieces of the ciabatta bread with the summer tomatoes, basil and mozzarella. Sprinkle a dash of salt over each piece. Cover each with the second piece of bread and brush the outside of each sandwich with olive oil. When the grill pan or panini maker is hot, add the sandwiches and grill until the cheese is nice and melty and the bread is crunchy. Enjoy!

This is definitely one of my favorite late summer meals. Yours?

rybread cafe recently opened in Philadelphia’s Fairmount area. I had walked by the shop several times on missions to the nearby CVS, and I finally had the opportunity to stop in for lunch today with Lisa. The Fairmount area of Philadelphia, in my opinion, has been missing really great lunch spots. I could not wait to check out rybread to see if I had found my new favorite cafe!

rybread is a small cafe right on Fairmount Avenue. They have a great full menu of sandwiches, panini, salads, coffee, and treats!

The cafe was opened recently by a father son duo and is run by family and friends. There are a few tables out front, a few tables inside, and a nice patio in the back. I imagine the place will be mostly for take out orders as there isn’t much seating, but if they had more seats- they would be filled.

The food is fresh, satisfying, and reasonably priced. Even better, it did not take long to prepare! I hate eating lunch out and having to wait a long time, knowing that I have to get back to my work computer as soon as possible. At rybread, the sandwiches and salads are made to order, but there was less than a 5 minute wait time for our food.

I love the menu and had trouble deciding between a few items. On this visit I decided to stick with the Change for the Feta salad challenge by having a salad, but I should have picked the Greek because it actually had feta! Instead I went with the Hampton salad, which contained chicken, pesto, sundried tomatoes, and fresh parmigiano reggiano with a balsamic dressing on the side.

It was hearty and flavorful, and in fact I did not even need the dressing. It came with a small piece of bread that was perfect for eating all of the last little bites- I did not waste a single bit of this salad.

Lisa went for the sante fe panino which had grilled vegetables and caramelized onions with pesto. It looked amazing!

The presentation of the whole cafe in general was just right. It reminded me of the case studies of successful companies I used to study in college (one of my majors was in management). There was just the right amount of branding, and all of the small touches were noticed by a detail oriented person like myself. Everyone in rybread- employees and patrons alike- were kind and inviting. In fact, this was the first time I felt part of the Fairmount neighborhood.

Since the indoor tables are kind of close I had the chance to see what other people were eating… Next time I will definitely have the Hollywood sandwich, which has hummus, red onion, shaved carrot and cucumber. Yum!

If you are ever in the Fairmount area, or even if you are visiting the Philadelphia Museum of Art, head over to rybread for a sandwich, salad, or fun treat!

rybread
215.769.0603
2319 fairmount ave.
philadelphia, pa 19130

**By the way, I will now be posting on the weekends, so be sure to check up on the latest happenings at RhodeyGirl Tests all weekend!

Other Philadelphia Favorites:

• Bar Ferdinand
• Cuba Libre
• Fat Salmon Sushi
• Fork
• Garces Trading Company
• LaCroix
• Mugshots Cafe
• Osteria
• Pizzeria Stella
• SquareBurger
• The Terrace at 13

Feta is a delicious cheese that can be added to almost any dish to add flavor, texture, and depth. A simple barley salad becomes a creamy delightful lunch, and an every day lunch salad becomes exciting with just a crumble of feta. Over the month of July I am participating in the ATHENOS Change for the Feta Challenge. It is Summer Salad Month again at RhodeyGirl Tests!

Follow me as I share my daily salads that include ATHENOS feta! By now you should know that my husband has taught me to love feta, and there is never a time where feta is not on our shopping list (as well as bananas, eggs, whole wheat bread, fresh arugula, peanut butter, and tomatoes).

Today’s featured summer salad is arugula, spinach, tomato, avocado, nuts and salmon with a bit of ATHENOS feta crumbled on top. I usually only buy the deli chunk style, but in the next few weeks I will be sampling the crumbled varieties as well.

Now that I am back from our big trip to Jordan and have joined a gym (Hi fellow Philadelphia Sports Club members!!), my quest for health is even stronger. I am still unable to run as my knee injury isn’t fully healed, so having classes to attend and a variety of machines and weights available to me is a blessing. I have really missed a gym, and I feel even more passionate about exercise and a healthy diet than ever. I will be updating my daily workouts again, so you can follow along too! The new gym in addition to sleep and this salad challenge is sure to bring changes in energy, fitness, and more. I urge you to make the same changes too!

___

FTC Disclosure: I have partnered with ATHENOS Feta to serve as one of ten ATHENOS Change for the Feta Bloggers. I am compensated for my time commitment to the program, which include blogging about my cooking experiences with ATHENOS feta, which I have been purchasing for years. I have also been compensated for the food purchased for my Change for the Feta- “Summer Salad Month” creations. However, as always, my opinions are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive comments.

Rustic lentil salad makes a complete one dish meal. PB loves it, I love it, and it is healthy and balanced. I love that in one bowl we have a full meal that covers so many food groups and nutrient needs. It is a great recipe for those busy nights when no one feels like cooking, never mind cleaning a pile of dishes. Bulgur wheat is a main component of this recipe and can be found in the bulk food section of your market. Be sure to buy the smallest size bulgur they have.

This dish really brings me back to my and my husband’s roots. As a woman with Italian and Jordanian heritage, lentils are a significant part of my natural diet. As an Armenian, PB grew up with both lentils and bulgur wheat and loves both. I love dry lentils and other beans because they are healthy, inexpensive, last a long time, and don’t take up space in the cabinet.

Join me over the next two weeks as I share both new and old favorite dry lentil and pea recipes as part of my participation in the  USA Dry Pea and Lentil Recipe Rivalry. I will focus on healthy dishes you can enjoy at home or bring to your next summer get together!!!

Rustic Lentil Salad
Serves 4 as a one dish meal

Ingredients:
1 large onion, diced
2 tbs olive oil
1 cup dry lentils, rinsed
1 cup dry bulgur wheat, rinsed
5 cups water
1 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half
4 oz fresh feta cheese
1 tsp cumin
dash of hot red pepper
kosher salt to taste

Directions:
Heat olive oil in a big pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 15 minutes until the onions are translucent and almost brown. Add the cumin, hot red pepper, rinsed lentils and bulgur wheat and water and bring to a boil. After it comes to a boil bring the heat down and simmer for 30 minutes until the lentils and bulgur wheat are chewy yet slightly soft. Add the grape tomatoes and feta and mix until combined. Serve warm or cold, as you like. Enjoy!

Can you tell I am on a salad kick?

*Please note that this recipe was sponsored by USA Dry Peas, Lentils & Chickpeas.

Summer salmon salad is basically a salad with all of my favorite ingredients. How could you go wrong with baked salmon, kalamata olives, tomatoes, and more? My mother in law was coming over for lunch, and of course, like any daughter in law, I wanted to make a lunch I knew she would love! Unfortunately, the green beans I made to go along with the salad left a lot to be desired, but hopefully the salad made up for it! Rounding out the meal we split a baked potato and had honeydew melon for dessert.. along with a lot of chatter!

My mother in law loves healthy meals and loves both salmon and salad. Combine it on a hot [summer] day and we have summer salmon salad.

Summer Salmon Salad
Serves 2

Ingredients:
juice from 1 lemon
2.5 tbs olive oil
2 oz feta
dash of kosher salt
8 oz fresh Atlantic salmon
1 tbs fresh minced garlic
1/4 cup white wine
1 bag of prewashed assorted lettuces
1/2 avocado, diced
1.5 cups grape tomatoes, halved
kernels from 2 ears of roasted corn
10 kalamata olives, halved

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread the minced garlic over the salmon and place in a baking dish. Pour the white wine over the fish. Bake for 20 minutes. [Prep the other salad ingredients above while salmon is in oven] Remove from oven and let cool.

2. Put the lemon juice in a small bowl. Whisk in the oil and add the feta. Mix to combine and set aside.

3. To assemble the salad: Put the lettuce in a large bowl. Add the grape tomatoes, kalamata olives, corn, and avocado. Break up the salmon with a fork and add that too. When ready to serve, pour over the dressing and toss. Enjoy!

Other salad posts:
RhodeyGirl’s Cobb Salad
I love salads.
Honey Balsamic Salad Dressing
Salad Spring Greens with Grapefruit Avocado Salsa
Shrimp & Bean Barley Salad
It’s a Salad Pasta
Caprese Barley Salad

The menu had classic cobb salads.

Cobb salad you say? May I have it with no bacon, no chicken, no bleu cheese, sub nuts and feta?

….Is it no longer a cobb salad, or is it just a cobb salad improved?

The salad stunk. At the restaurant.

My version at home? Literally perfection. Probably the best salad I have ever had in my life. And that is me being conservative in my self praise. I may have said it out loud three or four times.

Don’t judge me for self praising. I can’t help it.

If you make it, you too will understand.

But I needed a substitution for bacon! I love bacon. It is salty, crunchy, amazing. I do not like where bacon comes from. So I don’t eat it.

The two suggestions that most intrigued me came from Living on the Vedge and Mango & Tomato with fried beans and smoked nuts respectively. I decided to try a combination of the two, and the result was crunchy, salty, smoky flavor without the oink. In other words, exactly what I wanted.

This cobb salad is the perfect summer meal with protein, healthy fats, and lots of vegetables as well as all the textures and flavors. Crunchy. Creamy. Salty. Sweet. Tangy.

Shall I go on, or do you get the point?

RhodeyGirl’s Cobb Salad
Serves 2

Ingredients:
6 cups assorted lettuces (arugula, romaine, bibb)
1 tomato, diced
1 cucumber, diced
1/2 avocado
3 boiled eggs
4 oz feta cheese
juice from 1 lemon
dash kosher salt
1/4 cup light olive oil
1/4 cup hickory smoked almonds, crushed roughly
1/4 cup cannellini beans
oil for frying

Directions:
1. Heat some oil in a small pan over medium heat. When hot, add the cannellini beans and fry for 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with a bit of kosher salt.

2. Whisk the oil into the juice from one lemon. Add 1 oz of the feta and whisk to combine.

3. Place the lettuce in two bowls and toss with the dressing you just made. Mix the roughly crushed almonds and fried cannellini beans. Assemble the salads. Put half of the tomatoes, cucumber, avocado, eggs, and remaining cheese over the dressed salads as well as the almond and bean mixture. Enjoy!

Fried beans and smoked almonds make a great substitution for bacon.

His and Hers salads. PB’s salad also had grilled chicken.

Other salad posts:
I love salads.
Honey Balsamic Salad Dressing
Salad Spring Greens with Grapefruit Avocado Salsa
Shrimp & Bean Barley Salad
It’s a Salad Pasta
Caprese Barley Salad

Caprese barley salad is a great summer dish for those sunny days. When the weather gets warm I crave cold and fresh meals like this dish. Tomatoes, mozzarella, and fresh basil are a classic combination, but the addition of barley turns the simple salad into a hearty meal. Don’t be afraid to experiment with barley. It is chewy and filling, and is delicious as the base to a cold summer salad. I make a big batch of a different dish each week for us to eat as the week goes on, the most recent bring shrimp & bean barley salad and healthy chicken salad. This dish, however, didn’t even make it past one day. It is fresh, light, and flavorful; caprese barley salad is perfect for this nice weather!

Caprese Barley Salad
Serves 4 as an appetizer, 2 for dinner

Ingredients:
1 cup dry pearled barley, rinsed
2.5 cups of water
1 tbs kosher salt
3 oz fresh mozzarella
1 cup grape tomatoes
10 large basil leaves
1 tbs balsamic vinegar
2 tbs olive oil

Directions:
1. Bring 2,5 cups of water to a boil and add the rinsed pearled barley and salt. Cover and set to low for 30 minutes. Drain any excess water and set aside.
2. Cut the grape tomatoes in half and cut the mozzarella in small pieces. Rip the basil into small pieces. Add the tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil to the barley.
3. In a separate bowl whisk together the balsamic vinegar and olive oil and pour the dressing over the barley salad. Mix well. Serve cold as an appetizer or a meal! Enjoy!

I am updating my workouts every day. I have a skeleton work out plan that I change as the week goes on, but my goal is 4-5 days of exercise. Check out my workout page to see what I am up to!