Just Another Meatless Monday #6 Thrifty Edition

I hope everyone had a nice weekend. I wanted to share the Queen of Spring who finally came and banished the naughty leprechaun for the rest of the year. My friend Jenn came on Friday with her TWO sets of twins and we spent the afternoon crafting. She was knitting, I was felting, then she was felting too. Everything was great until my 4 hit one of her 3s with a stick, then it kind of went downhill from there, but I managed to finish the Queen. Just in time for the final meltdown of snow and the advance of muck. Spring.

Here she is on her pedestal, which is just a thrifted birch bowl overturned for her to stand on.

She is sharing the dinner table with our naturally dyed eggs in another thrifted treasure, an arrowhead melamine bowl. And a beautiful cheeseboard awaiting some delicious cheese my mother in law was bringing is another piece some one cast off. I love to thrift shop and find such great treasures for under a dollar, all three together set me back $2.50.

On to our Just Another Meatless Monday recipe. This week I am posting the recipe I plan to make for dinner tonight. I haven't made it before but I don't see how I can miss. I have long loved egg pies, spinach and feta especially. But soemtimes I find that the crust, while easy and loved by all, makes an otherwise healthy meal a little too greasy and heavy. This recipe uses seeds and rice as a crust instead of butter and flour, whole seeds and grains are part of a healthy lifestyle. I don't advocate using frankenfoods instead of real whole food. But rice and seeds are hardly frankenfoods and this seems an interesting alternative, and light enough for a summer pie.

Using leftovers is always high on my list of priorities for living a frugal, thrifty life. You can use leftover rice in the crust and the vegetables can all be leftovers. Americans throw out between 40 and 50 percent of food produced in America, sad isn't it? Use up those leftovers, lets lower that number!

Feta and Vegetable Pie

crust
1 1/2 TBSP raw pumpkin seeds
1 1/2 TBSP raw sunflower seeds
1/2 TBSP raw flax seeds
1/2 raw sesame seeds
2 cups cold leftover brown rice
4 TBSP flour
4 TBSP butter

1 cup cooked choped spinach
1/4 cup chopped cooked onion
1 cup cooked sliced carrots
1 cup feta
3 large fresh eggs
1 teaspoon dried italian seasoning
4 TBSP shredded Parmsean cheese

heat oven to 350˚
lightly grease an eight inch pie pan
toast the seeds until they are start to pop
mix them with the rest of the crust ingredients and press into the greased pie pan
bake 15 minutes
remove from the oven
sprinkle spinach, onions and carrots over the crust
mix the the feta, eggs and seasoning
pour over the crust and vegetables
sprinkle on the Parmsean
bake in a 350˚ oven for 25-30 minutes

Now you can use different vegetables if you prefer, think beets or parsnips for a winter pie. Summer might be broccoli, zucchini, peas or tomatoes. And try to use up those leftovers! Anyway because I have not made this pie yet, I'll let you know how it turns out tomorrow.

On another note, I have been working with a great bunch of ladies for the last 13 months. Our project? Getting a Waldorf-Inspired Charter School approved by the state of Alaska. I am proud to announce that our efforts have paid off! Our district, the size of West Virginia, is now home to Birchtree Charter School, a Waldorf-inspired school. We got our state approval a week ago Friday and have been very busy because we plan to open our doors this August. I am so excited, this is something I have dreamed of for my kids, I only wish my oldest wasn't graduating next year and had the opportunity to attend the school.

And one more note, I have finalized the location of my Share Our Strength Bake Sale, it will be held at Fireside Books in Palmer on April 17th, 2010, 10 am -2pm. My sister will be with me as we attempt to reach our goal of 500 dollars to donate to the Share Our Strength a nationwide program to end childhood hunger in America. Please consider stopping by to support our state in the nationwide food bloggers bake sale. And you can take home a couple twix-tacular bars, maybe some salted peanut 'n caramel cinnamon rolls or tiger tail cupcakes.






What divine vegetarian dish did you eat this week? Or 2 months ago? Why not share a link and inspire me? Did you know going meatless one day a week can save 890 gallons of water used in the production of meat? WOW!




Peace and Love-