more reading & a recipe

i was quite the reader over spring break! having a kindle makes it so easy to read anywhere because it can fit into any bag and hold countless numbers of books! it also helped that i was on a ship with no outside world contact so i had no other choice! i finished the two books below and am starting john grisham's newest novel, sycamore row. mama read it while on the cruise and could hardly put it down!

• the silent wife by a.s.a. harrison: i read this book on the premise that it was similar to gone girl. i found that it was really interesting and often took surprising turns. harrison writes the novel from two points of view: her and him. the novel follows a couple at a bad place in their not-official marriage and the events that lead to the ultimate ending. the ending caught me off guard and the novel is expertly plotted. it caught my attention from page one! 

• girls in white dresses by jennifer close: i have picked this book up at the store multiple times and finally ordered it on my kindle before spring break! it has been a new york times bestseller since its debut and is a great, easy beach read. it tells the story of three different women, starting in their mid-20's, dealing with love and heartbreak, getting older, family pressures and career changes. with funny backstories and real-life situations, it is a book that is easy to relate to and makes for a great read. 

my book count for the year is now up to six which i think is decent since i also have to read for school! still, it is no where close to how many my mom has read! i am so glad i got at least some of her love for reading in me!

tonight for supper i made a semi-original recipe! it was inspired by whole food's recipe for lentil, butternut squash and collards pie but i modified it quite some bit so i could use ingredients i already had on hand!

black eyed pea, kale and butternut squash pie

3/4 cup black eyed peas

1 9-inch frozen whole wheat pie crust

1 cup cooked and mashed butternut squash (i used frozen) 

3/4 cup frozen kale

1/2 cup skim milk

1/4 cup goat cheese

1/2 cup egg substitute (not egg whites)

pepper and salt, to taste

pepper or tomato relish, chow-chow and hot sauce, for serving 

1. preheat oven to 400. 
2. in pie crust, layer squash, kale and black eyed peas. sprinkle with cheese.
3. combine eggs, milk and salt/pepper in a bowl and whisk until thoroughly mixed. pour egg mixture over pea mixture in pie crust. 
4. bake for 40 minutes or until middle is set. allow to cool before cutting into wedges. serve with pepper or tomato relish, chow-chow and/or hot sauce! 

i think swapping out black eyed peas instead of the lentils adds a nice southern touch! this would also be a great brunch recipe (easter and mother's day are approaching fast!). this week has beyond exhausted me. getting back into the groove after spring break was much harder than i thought! spring break was such a tease but thankfully there isn't much left of this semester. i am missing my mama and daddy, brother and pets very much and can't wait to see them next. i only had one class today so the weekend came early which i am very thankful for! this weekend is consisting of homework and studying (i have so much due next week), barre3, some UT basketball and some relaxation (even though i had a whole week of it last week). hopefully everything will go as planned!

xoxo,

clp