Day One of Junk Free June

Hi all!

Today marks the first day of healthy living for cancer awareness!

It would seem that at the moment, the number one cause of preventable cancer is obesity. We're poisoning ourselves with sugar. So it's fitting that this month, the hot fundraiser for cancer research is a healthy living scheme.

Unfortunately eating well is often hard on a student budget and a student schedule. So, for my first recipe of the month, here's something simple and reasonably inexpensive. This is a good way to use up excess bread - as everyone knows it's cheaper to use things than let them go to waste. The active time (time spent actually doing something) is extremely short. The time in between steps is good for getting other stuff done.

Spinach and Cheese Strata

Serves 3

Ingredients

1 garlic clove, minced

120g bag baby spinach leaves

3 cups bread, cubed

3 eggs

3/4 cup milk of choice

1/2 cup cheese (a cheddar is best, if possible)

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp paprika

Salt and pepper

Oil or butter for the pan

Heat oil or butter in a pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant. Add the spinach leaves and cook until completely wilted. Take off the heat, and season with salt and pepper.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, nutmeg and paprika in a bowl.

Get a baking dish, casserole dish, or individual ramekins. Place half of the bread in the bottom. Top with half of the spinach and half of the cheese. Place on top another layer of bread, another layer of spinach, another of cheese.

Pour the egg and milk mixture over the bread, and lightly press down with a fork to allow the bread to soak it up. Let sit in the fridge for at least two hours, or overnight.

When ready to cook, heat the oven to 200 degrees. Cook for 45 to 55 minutes, until the top is puffed up and crispy.

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While perhaps not the most gourmet of meals, it's important to have some easy solutions available to stop one reaching for the microwave mac'n'cheese! Balance is key. This one is good because you can customise it with whatever happens to be in your fridge; sausages or mushrooms would be a great addition.

Thanks for reading, and stick around for my journey through Junk Free June! If you can, please feel free to donate to the cause.

See you next time! (*^^*)