Make sure to enter my Krema peanut butter giveaway!  The giveaway winner will be announced on Monday April 8.

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Spring time just screams asparagus season to me.  So, at the first sign of spring, my brain is already conjuring up a million ways that I can incorporate this delicious vegetable into my breakfast lunch and dinner.

Brian and I were hosting this past Sunday’s Easter brunch at our place this year, and I knew that I wanted to make a dish that was tasty, healthy, and that included asparagus.  The first thing that came to mind was a quiche!

I used my recipe for zucchini artichoke quiche and just adapted it to fit the ingredients that I wanted to use.  The result was a delicious, fresh, spring-time quiche that was perfect to serve at our Easter brunch.

The best thing about it?  We have leftovers for breakfast ALL WEEK!

Spinach and Asparagus Quiche with Barley Crust

Yields:  6-8 slices

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cooked, pearled barley
• 3 oz plus 1/4 cup of reduced fat Swiss cheese
• 10 egg whites
• 5 oz of frozen, chopped spinach thawed and drained
• 1/2 cup of original, unsweetened almond milk
• half pound of asparagus, with woody ends removed (chop the asparagus, but leave 10 pieces full size to decorate the top of the quiche)
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, combine barley, two egg whites, and 1/4 cup cheese to make the crust.
3. Place barley mixture in bottom of a greased 9 inch pie dish to cover the bottom.  Bake at 350 for 5 minutes.
4. In a separate large bowl, combine the remaining 8 egg whites, 3 oz of Swiss cheese, spinach, almond milk, chopped asparagus, salt and pepper.
5. Pour egg and spinach mixture into pre-baked barley crust.
6. Decorate the top of the quiche with the remaining asparagus pieces.
7. Bake for 55 minutes at 350.  Allow to set for 5 minutes before serving.
8. Enjoy!

Question of the Morning:

• What is your favorite spring-time food that you look forward to?
  

I am in love with asparagus, and another that I don’t ever get enough of is rhubarb!  Strawberry rhubarb pie anyone?!