Spinach & Feta Cheese Tart

I ALWAYS make two of these at a time because the pie crusts are sold in a double pack. Plus, everyone loves this dish and one tart disappears too soon!

The original recipe calls for ricotta cheese but I find it’s pricey and just as easy to use cottage cheese (one small container) and allow the whey to separate using a metal sieve one day ahead. The goal with draining off the whey is to make your tart have a firmer texture and not be at all runny or soft.

Ingredients (this makes two 9″ tarts)

Package of 2 frozen deep dish pie crusts

4 eggs lightly beaten

2 cups cottage cheese (drained in sieve for a day)

2 cups chopped fresh Spinach (baby variety, organic)

1 cup crumbed feta cheese (I choose one with herbs in it)

2 teaspoons herbs (use any combo of oregano, thyme, or savory herbs)

1 cup fresh veggies chopped (like red bell pepper, green onions, broccoli)

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese reserved for the top

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees (F). Prick pie crusts with a fork to prevent bubbles. Bake crusts for 10 minutes then remove and cool. While crusts are baking, work on the filling.

Reduce oven to 350 after crusts come out of oven. Whisk the eggs gently, then mix in everything else in one bowl except the Parmesan.

Divide the filling between the two crusts. Finally, sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the tops of each tart and return to oven for 45 minutes. A knife inserted into center should come out clean if the tart is fully cooked.

Serve warm with a green salad. Great to make ahead for potlucks. Delicious even at room temperature for a picnic or brunch. Experiment with ingredients based on what you have on hand.

Vegetarian Southwestern Breakfast Pie

Vegetarian Southwestern Breakfast Pie with soyrizo
Vegetarian Southwestern Breakfast Pie with soyrizo

This is delicious and reheats in the microwave for a super-fast, very healthy breakfast, it’s vegetarian!

  • 4 medium potatoes, boiled and sliced into wedges
  • 1/2 large onion diced
  • one package soyrizo
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • 1 tsp. oregano (finely ground)
  • 12  eggs
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 4 heaping tbsp. chunky salsa (as spicy as you like)
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 8 oz. package of Mexican cheese blend

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Sautee onion in olive oil until clear then add soyrizo, cumin and oregano and brown, set aside. In a bowl crack 12 eggs and whisk in baking powder, flour, milk and salsa.

Place potatoes evenly spread out in your shallow baking dish. Add chorizo and onion mix evenly across this. Put in 4 oz. of the cheese then add the egg mixture and top with the final 4 oz. of cheese. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

 

 

 

Organic Kale Salad

Harvest Sensations from Mother’s Market
With the refrigerated salad greens

It already has the kale, red cabbage and carrots in the package

It comes in 8 oz. or 1 lb. packages

Follow recipe on back

Options I used: 3-6 Stevia drops, instead of sugar

Both black and white sesame seeds

¼ – 1/2 cup  Toasted slivered almonds
(depending on size of package you are using)

Directions that aren’t in the recipe: cut the kale in smaller pieces with kitchen shears, add the almonds and sesame seeds in the kale while hot, it helps the kale absorb the dressing better. Do this before adding the dressing.

Mix the olive oil, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil (use the chinese kind),
Stevia (or sugar),  and pepper.

If using seasoned rice wine vinegar, don’t add any salt until you get the dressing mixed, then be very light on salt, or none.

Making the salad a few hours, or a day ahead, is even better.

Options by: Joy Sloan