Leek and mushroom quiche

Here’s a tasty little vegan quiche. Easy to make with a pre-made whole wheat pie crust. Great week-night dish.

Leek and mushroom quiche (from Chow Vegan)

1 pre-made whole wheat pie crust

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium leek, white and pale green parts only, coarsely chopped

5 ounces cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced

1/2 pound fresh small leaf spinach

1 pound firm fresh tofu, water pressed out

1/2 cup soy milk

salt and pepper

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 tablespoon dried thyme

1/2 tablespoon dried parsley

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Precook the pie crust according to the package directions if necessary.

Heat a skillet until hot, lightly drizzle with olive oil, and saute garlic and leeks until done, season with salt to taste while cooking. Transfer to a dish and set aside. Heat skillet again and saute and season the mushrooms until cooked, drain any water and set aside. Saute and season the spinach until just wilted. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Squeeze out any water and coarsely chop.

In a food processor or blender, combine the tofu, soy milk, salt and pepper to taste, nutmeg, thyme, parsley, and nutritional yeast, process until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl, add the vegetables, mix well and scoop into the pie crust, spreading the filling evenly. Bake for about 35 minutes, let the quiche cool for 10 minutes before slicing. Makes 6 servings.

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Butternut quiche (nondairy) with kale and sausage

My husband said this was the best quiche he ever ate. I must agree, although I have to admit that I’ve rarely met a quiche I didn’t like. I do have a favorite nondairy pie crust, but this time I tried a lower fat version from Norene Gilletz.

Butternut quiche with kale and sausage (adapted from My Kitchen Addiction)

dough for single pie crust

1/2 pound chicken sausage (I used sweet apple, from Trader Joe’s)

1 small onion, diced

6 ounces kale, thick stems removed and chopped

1 cup butternut squash puree

2 eggs + 2 egg whites

1/2 cup nondairy creamer

3/4 ounce soy parmesan, divided

freshly ground black pepper

salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Roll out pie dough to 1/4″ thickness and transfer to a 9″ pie plate. Trim excess and crimp the sides. Prick bottom of pie all over with a fork. Refrigerate for 20 minutes, then bake for 10 minutes til golden. Remove from oven.

Meanwhile, brown the sausage in a skillet over medium heat, breaking up the sausage into small pieces. Once the sausage has browned, add the onion and cook til softened. Gradually add the kale to the skillet and wilt into the sausage and onion mixture. Transfer the mixture to the baked pie shell.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the butternut squash puree, eggs, egg whites, creamer, and 1/2 ounce soy parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the mixture over the sausage and kale mixture in the pie shell. Top with the remaining soy parmesan.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 – 35 minutes until the eggs are set. Broil for an additional minute or two until the top is golden and bubbly. Cool for a few minutes before serving. Makes 6 servings.

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Sausage and spinach crustless quiche

Simplicity. Inspired by this recipe. Wonderful.

Sausage and spinach crustless quiche

1/2 pound spicy Italian chicken sausage, crumbled and browned

2 cups frozen chopped spinach, thawed

1/2 cup shredded soy cheddar cheese

6 eggs

1/2 cup almond milk

salt and pepper

Grease a 9″ deep dish pie plate and preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Layer spinach, cheese, and sausage in pie plate.

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and almond milk with a fork. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Pour egg mixture over ingredients in the pie plate. Place pie plate in the oven and bake for 30-45 minutes or until completely set and browned on top. Cool, slice into wedges, serve. Makes 6 servings.

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Asparagus quiche with leftover matzo stuffing crust

This was the perfect use of leftover matzo stuffing, and good keeping Passover.

Asparagus quiche with leftover matzo stuffing crust

1 cup or so of leftover matzo stuffing (or 1 cup of moistened farfel)

1 egg

1/2 cup matzo meal

nonstick spray

1 1/2 cups soy mozzarella cheese shreds

1/2 pound asparagus, tough ends snapped off

1/2 teaspoon dried herb (I used oregano)

1 cup nondairy creamer

4 eggs

paprika for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, mix together the stuffing (or farfel), egg, and matzo meal, til it comes together nicely. Pat into a sprayed 9 or 10″ pie pan or straight edge pan.

Next, sprinkle the soy cheese shreds evenly over the crust. Place the asparagus spears decoratively on top of the cheese. Sprinkle your herb on top of the asparagus.

In a medium bowl, beat together the eggs and the nondairy creamer. Pour carefully over the asparagus, and then dust with paprika.

Place in over and bake for about 40-45 minutes til set and golden. Makes 6 servings.

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Sun-dried tomato & artichoke quiche

Here is a savory quiche that has a healthy whole wheat crust and dairy-free egg custard. Paired with a salad, it makes a great lunch dish or a light dinner offering. Enjoy!

Sun-dried tomato & artichoke quiche

crust:

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons soy milk

filling:

1 3-ounce package dry-pack sun-dried tomatoes

1 cup boiling water

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 shallot, sliced

1/2 cup sliced scallions

1 13-ounce can artichokes, cubed

2 tablespoons capers

2 tablespoons fresh basil, sliced

1 cup shredded soy cheese (I used mozzarella and parmesan)

3 eggs, beaten

1 cup soy milk

1 teaspoon dried basil

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

To make the crust: In a straight-edged 9 or 10″ pie dish, mix together all of the crust ingredients until fully combined. Press evenly into the dish and up the sides. Cover with heavy duty tin foil and bake for 8 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F.

To make the filling: Combine the tomatoes and water in a small bowl, and set aside. Heat the oil and crushed red pepper in a 10″ skillet over medium-high heat, for about 1 minute. Add the garlic, shallots, and scallions; saute 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, artichokes, capers and chopped basil to the pan. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for about 5 more minutes, stir occasionally. Remove from heat.

Sprinkle the cheese in an even layer over the quiche crust. Spoon the filling carefully over the cheese, distributing evenly. Beat the eggs and soymilk together, and pour over the filling. Sprinkle the top with the dried basil and place in oven. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until lightly golden. Makes 4 servings.

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Asparagus-shitake quiche

 

One of the dishes I truly missed when I became lactose-intolerant was quiche, which, as some of you may know, includes cheese and milk in its list of ingredients. With all the varieties and flavors of soy cheese now available, and of course, soy milk, making a quiche dairy-free is only limited by your imagination. For tonight’s dinner, I sauteed some asparagus and laid it out in a pinwheel pattern over the other sauteed veggies underneath. The results were . . . appetizing and quite delicious. Experiment on your own, and you will be pleasantly surprised. Enjoy!

Asparagus-shitake quiche

Crust: 

1 cup whole wheat flour

4 tablespoons margarine

1 teaspoon dillweed

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1/2 cup plain soy yogurt

Filling:

 1 tablespoon olive oil

1 shallot, sliced

1 handful of shitake mushrooms, sliced

1 pound asparagus

1/2 teaspoon thyme

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup of your favorite soy cheese (I used parmiaggiano/mozzarella combo)

4 eggs, beaten with 1 cup plain soy milk

paprika, for dusting the top

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large bowl, mix all the crust ingredients together until uniformly blended. Press into a straight-edge pan or dish, pressing up the sides of the dish. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, but keep oven on.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a medium pan, and saute the shallot, mushrooms, asparagus, and thyme for about 10 minutes, adding salt and pepper to taste.

Now assemble your quiche: sprinkle your soy cheese onto the crust. Next, spread just the shallot and mushrooms and a few cut up stalks of asparagus evenly over the cheese. Then pour in the egg/soy milk mixture. Finally, arrange the rest of the asparagus decoratively on top. Sprinkle the top with paprika, and bake in the oven for 35 – 45 minutes.

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Artichoke pie

 

Well, it’s five days after Thanksgiving, and I’m still in a food coma. I must have something light. This recipe works just right for me  – it’s flavorful, vegetarian, healthy, and I won’t walk away from the table feeling like a stuffed kishka. With a salad on the side, it’s the perfect way to start the new week. As always, no dairy here! Enjoy . . .

Artichoke Pie (adapted from Vegetarian Celebrations, by Nava Atlas)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 beaten eggs

2 cans artichoke hearts, (non-marinated), drained and chopped coarsely

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 cup grated soy Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup soy milk

salt and pepper to taste

wheat germ or bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In small pan, saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil, until the onion is golden.

In a medium bowl, combine the beaten eggs with the onion mixture and all the remaining ingredients except the wheat germ. Combine everything well.

In a 9″ or 10″ pie dish, generously spray a nonstick spray to coat. Sprinkle and coat the pan with the wheat germ or bread crumbs. Pour in the artichoke/egg mixture, then top with more wheat germ or bread crumbs. Place in the oven, and bake about 30-35 minutes, until the top is golden and the pie is set. Let it cool a little or serve at room temperature. Makes 6-8 servings.

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Vegetable Cheese Pie

 

Vegetables and cheese just plain go together, complimenting each other in a wide variety of dishes. Think quiche. When you are lactose-intolerant, this is one of the dishes you must say goodbye to.

Not any more. With the many cheese substitutes that can be found today, and their flavors and textures that are so remarkably close to the original, your favorite cheese dishes can now be quite easily adapted. Vegetable Cheese Pie is a favorite of mine. It tastes sensational right out of the oven, but is also good warm. With a side of soup or fruit salad, and some great crusty bread, this is the complete meal. I have served this dish to the non-lactose intolerant, and no one could detect that it was not dairy. Enjoy!

Vegetable Cheese Pie

Crust:

2 cups of packed grated sweet potatoes

1/4 cup grated onion

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg beaten

Filling:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

2 minced cloves garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt/black pepper to taste

1/2 teaspoon basil

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1 medium cauliflower, or a large bunch broccoli, or a combination of the two, cut into small pieces

2 eggs

1/4 cup soy milk

1 cup packed grated soy cheddar cheese

paprika

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, and oil a 9 inch pan.

Combine the grated sweet potato, onion, salt, and egg. Pat into the pan and build up the sides to the top.

Bake for 30 minutes, brush with a little oil, and then bake it for about 10 minutes more. Remove from oven; then turn temperature down to 375 degrees.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet, and add the onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and herbs. Saute about 5 minutes. Add the other vegetables and cover; cook until tender, about 7-8 minutes.

Next, spread half of the chees onto the baked crust. Spoon the sauteed vegetables on top, then sprinkle the remaining cheese. Beat the eggs and the milk together, and pour on top of the vegetables. Dust the top lightly with paprika.

Bake for 35-40 minutes until set.

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