|
| Delectable. A new favorite gluten-free and dairy-free quinoa recipe. |
Forever and ever I have loved quiche. Creamy, soft, bacony, cheesy quiche. My mom makes a fabulous pie crust (flaky, buttery and delicious), and whenever she used it to make a quiche, it was one of those dinners I would melt for. Theirs of course is loaded with diary, gluten and red meat, so when the craving hit I needed to find a suitable alternative. With the “limitations” (some would call it that, but not the Queen of Quinoa) of being gluten-free and dairy-free, a traditional quiche was out of the picture. I channeled my inner Queen to find the creativity with this one.
When the need for creativity arises, as always I choose to cook with something I'm comfortable with. Yes, you guessed it. I turn to my trusty friend, quinoa. I mean really, what could be easier, tastier and healthier than quinoa? Not much.
The first trick with the crust was binding it without using eggs. Eating Clean does not include eating eggs, the base of this meal, so I wanted to avoid adding more than was necessary. I decided to use a flax meal gel with a bit of brown rice flour to not only add more nutrients and fiber, but also to give it some body and a softer texture.
Now, I've played around with using quinoa as a base for crust, like in my Gluten-Free Quinoa Pizza Crust, and I knew that somehow I could make this work. My goal for this dinner was to make a delicious, healthy, low-fat version of my mother's quiche. Cheese, bacon and her gluten-filled pie crust is obviously a no-go for this girl, but I was confident I could pull some of her flavors together and produce the dinner my body and mind was craving.
Dairy Free Vegetable Quiche with Quinoa Crust
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup dry quinoa (I mixed red and white to add a pop of color)
- 1 tablespoon vegan , soy-free butter
- 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal
- 2 tablespoons brown rice flour
- 4 tablespoons cold water
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup chopped brussels sprouts
- 1 cup chopped broccoli florets
- 1 cup chopped spinach
- 1 bunch green onions , thinly sliced
- 1/2 zucchini , thinly sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a medium saucepan bring 1 cup water to boil and add the dry quinoa. Cover and turn down to a simmer, cooking for 10 - 12 minutes.
- While the quinoa is cooking prepare your flax meal gel by combining the flaxseed meal and water together. Mix quickly and set aside, letting it turn into a gel paste.
- When the quinoa is done cooking, transfer it to a small mixing bowl and add your butter. Mix it around until the butter is melted and add the flax gel. Next, add the flour and mix it all together. The mixture should be goopy and easily mixable and spreadable.
- Grease the bottom of a baking pan and spread your quinoa mixture along the bottom. Try to even it out with the back of a wooden spoon. You want to have the crust an even thickness across the pan so that quiche lays flat when it bakes.
- Place the baking pan in the center of a warm oven and bake it until it turns golden brown, about 20 minutes.
- While the crust is baking away in the oven, heat the oil in a medium skillet and add the brussels sprouts, broccoli, and green onions. Saute until just about tender and add the spinach. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
- Beat the eggs in a medium mixing bowl and add in the almond milk. Mix until the eggs and milk are fully combined. Next add the nutritional yeast, red pepper flakes, and garlic powder and whisk together quickly. Add in the sautéed veggies and mix the whole mixture together. Gently pour the filling into the baking pan and lay the sliced zucchini on the top.
- Place the quiche in the center of the oven, still at 350 degrees F, and bake for about 50 minutes. You want the center to be firm but give slightly to the touch. When you place a knife in the center, it should come out clean.
- Serve warm, topped with a bit more salt and pepper and a touch of hot sauce.
Nutrition
Your recipe does not include the size of the flan pan to use. I have various. This would be helpful to know. Thank you.
This recipe uses a 9” pie pan 🙂
It cooks well but it’s very bland. Needs more spices.
Thanks for the feedback!
Pingback: Quinua.pe, el portal que busca dar a conocer al mundo las maravillosas propiedades de la quinua, producto originario de los Andes. Únete a nuestra comunidad! |
Hi Queen!
I’m cooking at the Kiss-Off Cancer Cook-Off in Rossland, British Columbia next month. I want to make my delicious roasted veggie pie, but with a quinoa crust. I usually top the vegetables with a crust, no crust on the bottom. Would your quinoa crust work that way? I’ve never tried a quinoa crust, and want to make sure this is a success!
Thanks!
Pingback: Hartige herfsttaart met quinoa bodem | Maaikyz iCook
I just found your site and I’ve been drooling over so many of your fabulous looking recipes. I’ve saved pretty much all of them lol…
I can’t have seeds. Do you have to use the flaxseed? or can you replace it with something else? Thank you
Hi Michelle!
So happy you found me 🙂 and I’m glad you like all the recipes!
For this recipe and substituting the flax, I would try making a nut meal or use an egg replacer. Let me know how it turns out!!
Thanks Erin! Quinoa is amazing, there are so many ways to use it! If you're interested in baking, you can even pick up quinoa flour and quinoa flakes. Happy experimenting 🙂
This looks delicious! Can't wait to see all your recipes…I have never used Quinoa and really want to learn how to cook it well!