Baked Quinoa Egg Pie Recipe

The following recipe was originally published on RebelGrain.com. Visit the website for more great ideas and cooking tips!

It’s been awhile, sweet friend. I’ve missed you. I don’t know what happened… I don’t know where the days have gone from January 29th to today. I was on a roll. I was writing, and cooking, and savoring every connection with you – and, then, I got quiet.

Quiet.

I feel like three weeks ago I made an unconscious decision to slip out of my tough skin – the skin I wear when I command the troops, run the house, strive to build, and do, do, do, and slip back into the softness of motherhood, and marriage, and friendship. I needed to stop striving. I needed to turn inward, and pay attention, and be still. (And with tough skin on, being still and quiet is the last thing I want to do.)

But then a couple of days ago I was standing in my kitchen after a workout, and I needed to eat. I wanted something powerful, because I was feeling powerful. I wanted something light, because I was feeling ready to take on the world. And in that moment, I felt something else: I felt the urge of quiet lift, and I wanted something to share with you – I wanted something to empower YOUwith, too.

And you know what came from that thought? This:

A baked quinoa egg pie.

I made it, ate it warm, and then snacked on it cold the next two days. I made another variation for my Friday morning bible study group – and it was devoured. Then, I made another one today after I returned from my morning workout – and it has carried me through the day.

Just a little slice or two, a glass of water or some tea, and a piece of fresh fruit. Can you say PERFECT MEAL?

Clean. Pure. Whole. Easy. DELICIOUS.

Here’s what you’ll need:

For saute

olive oil
1 large shallot, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
5 baby Portobello mushrooms, roughly chopped in quarter sized pieces
2 large handfuls of spinach
1 cup of cherry tomatoes, halved (this is a great way to use up tomatos that are beginning to wilt)
1 handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 tsp salt
1 tsp peppr

For egg mixture

6 eggs
2 cups of precooked quinoa
1/2 cup of crumbled feta

Directions

To make the sauté: Heat a large skillet with some olive oil. Add diced shallot and minced garlic; sauté for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly so you don’t burn the garlic.

Add in mushrooms and parsley and sauté until mushrooms begin to release their moisture (about two minutes).

Turn off heat and add in spinach, parsley, salt and pepper, and stir to mix thoroughly. Cover so the steam wilts the greens while you prepare the egg mixture.

To make the egg mixture: Butter a glass pie plate. (Yes, buttered. Don’t use chemical cooking spray – use real butter.)

Whisk 6 eggs in a large bowl until they are loose.

Add in quinoa, feta, and then the warm sauté. Pour entire mixture into a buttered, glass pie plate.

Bake at 375 for 25 minutes. Remove from oven, cover with foil, and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Done!

The possibilities are limitless with this dish. Just like an omelette or quiche, you can add sausage, arugula, other herbs, other greens. You could do it with leftover roasted root vegetables or potatoes. You could use any cheese – from cheddar, to goat cheese, to Parmesan. Whatever your heart desires (or whatever is in your fridge) will work. Allow yourself the freedom (and fun!) to get creative.

So there. I’m back. And… I hope you’re inspired. (Because that’s why I’m here, you know? I’m here because I want you to know: YOU CAN DO IT.)

For step by step photos of this recipe, visit www.rebelgrain.com