Spinach, Feta, and Red Pepper Quiche

Easy weeknight meals. We're all looking for them. I love to cook, so there are times when I think I want an easy meal, but I really want to chop things up and get creative in the kitchen. The crock pot is a good option, but I don't always plan ahead enough to get everything I need into the crock pot in a timely manner. I usually think of ideas for dinner while I'm at work. Anyone with me on this? This quiche allows me to fulfill my destiny of wanting to chop things, and then I also get a delicious, healthy meal I can just pop in the oven. So go figure out something fun to do for 55 minutes while your dinner cooks. :-)

What you will need:
- 1 deep dish 9 inch pie crust, thawed
- 4 large eggs
- 8oz of plain Greek yogurt, 0% fat if you can find it
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 medium sized red pepper, diced
- 1 package of frozen spinach, thawed and drained
- 1 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp of dried basil
- a container of reduced fat Feta cheese
- a drizzle of olive oil
- salt and pepper

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Have your pie crust on the counter to thaw if you haven't done so already. (Don't panic if you forgot. You'll have a perfectly thawed pie crust in 15-20 minutes. No big deal!) Heat a small pan on medium and add your onions and olive oil to the pan. Sautee for about 4-5 minutes until they are soft. Add the red pepper and sautee for another minute or so. All the veggies will cook down in the oven, so you don't have to soften them too much.

 Add the spinach and garlic to the pan. Cook a few minutes more until fragrant. Remove the pan from the stove and allow the mixture to cool for a few minutes.

While your spinach mixture is cooling, put together your egg mix. Into a medium bowl, add the eggs, Greek yogurt, and basil. Using a whisk, mix everything together.

 Add salt and pepper to taste. If your mixture is cool enough, add the spinach and pepper mixture directly to the bowl and stir.

Here's a little trick I like to incorporate into this dish before I put it all together. Sprinkle some feta cheese right on the bottom of the crust. You'll have a creamy, cheese-y layer between your dough and your eggs. It's really tasty! And again, you can never go wrong with more cheese! Haven't you learned that about me yet?? More cheese!!! I like my blend of veggies and Greek yogurt to be thick. When I add everything together it's almost the thinner consistency of a spinach dip. If that's not something you like, you can add a dash of milk or cream to your recipe.

Moving right along. Sprinkle your cheese down and then pour your mishmash of vegetables over the top. If need be, spread the batter to the edges with a spoon.

MMMMmmmmmm...looks good already, doesn't it? Don't eat it yet! You still have to bake it! ;-) Into a preheated 350 degree oven, and you'll have healthy dinner in 55-60 minutes when it's golden brown.

What variations will you use in your quiche? These just happen to be some of my favorites. Post your thoughts and comments below, and as always, enjoy!!