Red Chard Quiche with Spinach Wheat Germ Crust (and why I hate Christmas)
With the colors of Christmas pairing so kindly to the health benefits of New Year’s Resolutions, I can’t help but feel a little holiday spirit while eating this quiche.
It’s a pleasure to meet you, Christmas Eve breakfast.
Okay, I admit the part about holiday spirit was bullshit. I actually really abhor this time of year. And considering I used to annually commence the watching of Christmas movies as early as August, this is really quite odd.
For clarity, I don’t hate the “jolliness” that is associated with Christmas, I certainly don’t hate the increase of giving, and I mean, let’s be real, I love the food.
So what is it that bothers me? The excessive consumption.
Whether it’s food, wine, clothes, or terrible sweaters, we want just about every luxury we normally have, but doubled. And if, by some absolutely horrid turn of fate, we are devoid of twice the amount of everything we of the Western culture are obviously so innately entitled to, we’re angry. Oh, and we’re probably even temporarily depressed.
My point isn’t to make you cry tears of gum drops. Really, my only hope here at DFM is that you might take a few principles into consideration:
- You don’t deserve to have a fattening, expensive food experience this Christmas.
- Some of the healthiest, most palatably satisfying foods are also the least expensive.
- Just because the food is inexpensive plus it’s Christmas doesn’t mean you are magically allotted more than your normal amount.
- Be thankful, happily accept the reminder to give to others, and continue to be merry year-round.
Red Chard Quiche with Spinach Wheat Germ Crust
Crust:
3 tbsp vegetable oil - $0.09
10 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and juices reserved - $0.99
1 cup all purpose flour - $0.08
¾ cup wheat germ - $0.11
¼ tsp salt - $0.01
½ tsp nutmeg - $0.02
Filling:
½ bunch red swiss chard, chopped roughly (make sure to chop the stems in small pieces so everything is cooked evenly) - $1.
½ yellow onion, minced - $0.25
1 tbsp vegetable oil - $0.03
1 tbsp dried basil - $0.05
1 tsp black pepper - $0.01
4 large eggs - $0.60
1 cup nonfat milk - $0.22
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese - $1.31
½ tsp nutmeg - $0.02
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
To make the crust:
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. Fold in spinach and two tablespoons vegetable oil to dry mixture and mix just until incorporated.
- Oil a pie pan with remaining tablespoon of vegetable oil. Pat spinach dough into pan and bake for 15 minutes in preheated 375 degree oven.
To make the filling:
- In a saute pan, cook onion in vegetable oil over medium heat until translucent. Add swiss chard and continue cooking until wilted. Remove from heat, add basil, pepper, and nutmeg, and let cool until no longer hot to touch.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Add swiss chard and onion mixture, then add shredded parmesan cheese.
- Pour mixture into pre-cooked Spinach Wheat Germ Crust, and bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 35-45 minutes, or until no longer soft in the middle.
Makes approximately five servings.
Total cost: $4.79
Cost per serving: $0.96
Nutritional Information:
(Source: dollarfriendlymeals.com)
