May 20 - National Quiche Lorraine Day

Hello friends! It's finally the weekend, and I hope you have some some fun plans 😊 (Or even just relaxing, that's totally valid too!) I'm planning on doing a long-ish run, as I've started the taper for my marathon in early June. I'm also going to some church events, and having a game night with some extended family.

Today, I'm celebrating National Quiche Lorraine Day. For those of you not familiar, quiche Lorraine is a savory, egg-based custard, that usually includes bacon, cheddar, and caramelized onions. It's served in a tart or pie shell, and is delicious hot or cold.

There are two activity-based food holidays today: Pick Strawberries Day and Plant a Lemon Tree Day. If you have time this weekend, google 'u-pick strawberries near me' and see if there's a farm you can visit! It's always fun to get out and go on a field trip, regardless of age. Even if you're not able to pick berries or plant a tree, you can enjoy the flavors of spring by using strawberries and lemon in various baked goods.

It's also World Bee Day, so take a minute to appreciate the pollinators that enable so much of our food production. Honey bees pollinate $15 billion worth of crops in the US alone annually. They also produce honey, which of course is delicious, and is said to help with allergies by microdosing pollen (I'm not a doctor though, do your own research of course). Due to pesticides, destruction of habitat, and monoculture, local pollinators such as bees are endangered in many places, and this threatens not only our food system but ecosystem as a whole. If you'd like to help support bees, I recommend supporting Project Apis m, a organization dedicating to research bees, and how we can reverse their declining numbers. (Their name comes from the scientific name for honey bees, Apis mellifera)

If you drink, the third Saturday in May is also World Whisky Day. I've incorporated whiskey into today's dessert, but you can also enjoy a shot straight-up if that's your style. 

Breakfast 

We're starting off the day with a simple, light breakfast of soft, crumbly strawberry scones. This recipe is drizzled with a sweet glaze, and the perfect snack for spring! I've paired them with a simple honey and lemon tea which can be served hot or cold, depending on whether the mornings are still chilly where you live.

Strawberry Scones 

Honey_and_Lemon_tea

Lunch 

For lunch, I'm serving up a extraordinary quiche, all in a flaky pie crust. For my fellow vegans out there, I've included a tofu-based version, which is similarly delicious. Serve it with a simple salad on the side - for a spring version, I've linked a spinach, walnut, and parmesan salad, but throw one together with whatever you have lying around. 

Quiche Lorraine or Vegan Quiche Lorraine 

Simple Spinach Salad 

Dinner 

This dinner celebrates the versatility of honey in savory dishes. One suggestion is crispy, sriracha-coated tofu, tossed in a honey sauce. If you're not a tofu fan, try some sticky-sweet, garlicky glazed salmon. Serve either with some white rice and steamed broccoli for an easy, hearty, and healthy meal. 

For dessert, I've suggested a smooth, velvety chocolate mousse, with an Irish Whiskey cream in celebration of World Whiskey Day. If you're not interested in whiskey, you can just make the mousse without it. Chocolate pudding is one of my personal favorite desserts - it's rich and indulgent, but doesn't feel too heavy. 

Honey Garlic Glazed Salmon or Honey Sriracha Tofu

Chocolate Mousse Pots with Whiskey Cream

Food History

On this day in 1932, Amelia Earhart began her nonstop, solo flight across the Atlantic. The flight took 15 hours, and launched her international stardom. She left from Newfoundland, Canada and touched down in Northern Ireland. But what did she eat on the way? Earhart survived mostly on tomato juice, either cold or kept hot in a thermos. She also occasionally packed chocolate squares, hard-boiled eggs, raisins, or hot cocoa. All her food had to be easy to eat, and she took care to not carry anything heavy, so as to free up weight for more fuel. 

Have a great weekend!