So I’m trying out being a vegetarian for a while.  There are a lot of different motives for me and its something I’ve been contemplating for quite some time.  I think I’ve slowly been heading in that direction for years.  First I got rid of beef (mostly, except for when I moved to Texas but now I’m back to not so much beef).  Three years ago I cut out the pork and was pleased with all the tasty turkey and chicken alternatives there were.  About a month ago I decided to try a no-meat diet for a while and see how I felt, how it was cooking other things, how much–if at all–I missed meat.  I’ll tell you, for someone who is quite passionate about what happens in the culinary realm, I have been intrigued by how this has turned into more of an adventurous discipline than it is a sacrifice.  A friend of mine encouraged me to think of it as an opportunity to experience new flavors and combinations that I never would have otherwise.  So that being my mantra, I’ve set out on this quest for delicious dishes sans meat.

That being said, its been on my mind for a few weeks to create some hearty and savory quiches.  I finally got around to that this afternoon.  I made an asparagus & Gruyere one and a vegetarian bacon & Gruyere one.  Both of which I am amazed to report are quite tasty.

I made two 6″ quiches figuring if they were a bust, I’d have less quantity of yucky quiche to eat and if they were good, I wouldn’t have to be eating quiche until Christmas!  Here’s what I did:

I used my friend Sarah’s crust recipe and replaced regular flour with this new Unbleached White Whole Wheat flour* I found by King Arthur.  It was on sale so I thought, “why not?”

Crust:

1 3/4 cup flour (as mentioned, I used all White Whole Wheat)
1/2 cup oil
1 tsp. salt
3-4 tbsp cold water
Blend ingredients with a fork or pastry blender.  Chill dough then roll out and use as needed. Makes two 8″ crusts.
**Note 1: I found that the crust was a bit dry, probably due to the whole wheat flour, so I added a little extra water and it worked out just fine.
**Note 2: I briefly baked my crusts before filling them; I find it yields a better finished product.  Pierce the dough with a fork and bake at 450 for 5-8 min.

Vegetarian Bacon & Gruyere filling:

6 slices Vegetarian Bacon; chopped (I used Morning Star Farms brand because they are trusty in the veggie product department).
Olive oil
1/4 cup chopped yellow onion
1 stalk green onion chopped
4 eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup grated Gruyere Swiss cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Heat about 1 tbsp of olive oil in a pan, add chopped yellow and green onions and sautee until lovely golden brown.  Add chopped veggie bacon (watch this, it can burn easily) and sautee until slightly crispy.
In a mixing bowl whisk the eggs, cream, and salt & pepper; add onion & veggie bacon mixture and grated cheese and mix; pour egg mixture into quiche crust and bake–lightly covered with foil to keep from over-browning–at 450 degrees for about 20-30 minutes.  Watch closely and remove when just set in center.  Let set for 5-10 min before serving.

Asparagus & Gruyere filling:

1 cup asparagus (cut into 1-inch pieces)
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
3 stalks green onion, chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
Olive oil
4 eggs
1/2 cup cream
3/4 cup Gruyere Swiss cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
In a pan heat about 1 tbsp Olive Oil and sautee green and yellow onions with minced garlic.  Sautee until yummy golden brown; add asparagus pieces and sautee until asparagus is tender (but still bright green; not over cooked).  In a mixing bowl, whisk eggs, cream, and salt & pepper; add cheese and asparagus mixture and blend well.  Pour into partially baked quiche shell and bake, lightly covered with foil, for 20-30 min at 450 degrees until center is just set.  Allow to cool/set for 5-10 minutes before serving.

That’s it!  Quiche freezes pretty well; I recommend thawing and reheating in toaster oven for best results.  Bon Appetit!  xox

*The White Whole Wheat is a milder and more finely milled whole wheat flour.  I’m excited to see how it does in cookies et cetera; stay tuned for more reviews.