The most versatile vegan quiche... four ways!

Wow... I owe you a recipe!!  Yeah this was once a recipe blog ;-)

I have so many recipes I want to share, and even more than I want to test out... but I have so many other things I ask want to share and only so many hours in the day to do it all!  Plus Wholeplus to manage on top of all that!

I hope this makes up for it! It was one of my favourites versatile creations during December. A spin off from this recipe that I knew at the time held so much more potential, and so it is that 'potential' I want to share with you today. I also featured festive variation using parsnip instead of cauliflower in my column in Definition Magazine in the November issue last year... yummy!

This recipe is also perfect for this time of year. Comforting yet light and tummy friendly, and perfect for a lunch or dinner. Packed with protein but without weighing you down... Winner!

When it comes to recipes, you surely know how high ease and versatility rate on my scale of importance by now! This does not disappoint... I promise! (even though the method looks longer than usual... it is really simple!!

I've called it a quiche, thought I guess it's not really in that it doesn't have a crust or use eggs, it's also lighter than a quiche with the chickpea/cauli infusion going on. It's definitely not a pie or fritatta either...so what else would I call it? Quiche is definitely the closest.

I've provided the base recipe below and all the addition options beneath. These are my flavours...but try experimenting with whatever takes your fancy or you happen to have to hand. You'll see in these photos I made single serve size quiches in jumbo muffin cups. They worked really well. You could make a big batch to freeze!

Recipe: The most versatile vegan quiche

Make 1 x 8” pie dish or 3-4 single serve jumbo muffin sized

Basic ingredients:

• 1 cup chickpea flour

• 1 tbs flax

• ½ tsp salt

• ½ tsp general mixed seasoning

• ½ tsp baking powder

• ¼ tsp baking soda

• half a head of a small-med cauliflower (equal to 1 cup grated)

• ½ a onion sliced thinly

• 1 cup water

Options- add one of these (or more than one if making mini quiches):

• 1/2 cup black beans (I teamed this with a smoky chipotle sauce and nutritional yeast)

• 1/2 cup corn and sliced red onion (I used frozen corn and added paprika)

• 1/2 cup sliced red pepper and sun dried tomatoes (I teamed this with fresh basil)

• 1/2 cup chopped spinach (I teamed this with garlic)

• 1/2 cup sliced courgette (I teamed this with dried italian herbs and fresh rosemary)

Method:

Mix the dry ingredients together and set aside.  Chop the onion finely and grate/process the cauliflower (to a rice like consistency) and add both to the dry mix, then add the water and mix through well.

If you are making mini quiches, separate the batter now.

Stir through your chosen additions (add flavours at the same time as the other ingredients in previous steps if more appropriate to do so) 

The mixture should be thick and clumpy but easy to spoon into a tin. I used an 8” silicone cake tin, but you could also use a metal one with removable bottom, or large silicone muffin cups.

Press the mixture firmly into the pan but leave the top quite rough for some nice texture. Bake at 180C for approx 30 mins until the tops is nice and golden, or around 20 minutes for mini quiches (keep an eye on the colour).

Serve either hot or cold. This ‘quiche’ holds together really well when cold so would also be great for picnics/lunchboxes. It also freezes well and can be reheated in the oven.

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I've entered this recipe into the Health Bay Recipe Challenge because I reckon this hits the spot for both health and taste!  What do you think?

Chickpea cauliflower quiche

This recipe was a huge success. One of my biggest successes of recent weeks, I think because it turned out so much better than I anticipated. The flavour, the way it held together, the fact that it was a bit different from the typical savoury dishes.

The recipe ingredients list was actually based on a 'fried chickpea patty' recipe somewhere on the net that I thought i'd saved to Evernote to credit the author when i came to write it up but I can't find the reference anywhere. Thought to be fair I did tweak the ingredients and the presentation of the finished dish is totally different so I guess you could say I've made it my own.

I love fresh rosemary and we have it growing in the garden so it was a welcome opportunity to use it. I imagine this would also work all with other fresh herbs of choice. Other veggies could also work too... leek, peas, maybe some thinly sliced pepper. Why not go crazy and totally change up the spices... I can see myself making a spicy morrocan style version in the not so distant future!

I've called it a quiche, thought I guess it's not really in that it doesn't have a crust or use eggs, it's also lighter than a quiche with the chickpea/cauli infusion going on. It's definitely not a pie or fritatta either...so what else would I call it? Quiche is definitely the closest. I actually think its better than a quiche. Ok I am biased.  You tell me what you think once you've made it! :-)

I ate this hot the first day (it still cuts beautifully whilst warm) and then cold straight from the fridge the second day. Yum Yum Yum! It would also be fab with a mushroom gravy or cashew cream.

One last little note... did you see my side bar?  I have just put together an ebook of my top 10 sugar free recipes when you sign up for my newsletter thatIi publish one or twice a month. The newsletter contains news, special offers, recipe round ups... you know the sport of thing. I'd love it if you would share the love across your social networks and join me there.

Recipe: Chickpea cauliflower quiche

Makes one 8” pie dish

Ingredients 

• 1 cup chickpea flour
• 1 tbs flax
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp general mixed seasoning
• ½ heaped tsp dried mixed herbs
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• half a head of a small-med cauliflower (equal to 1 cup grated)
• 1 cup water
• ½ a courgette sliced into thin half moons
• ½ a red onion sliced thinly
• 1 large spring of fresh rosemary- chopped roughly

Method

Mix the top 7 dry ingredients together and set aside.  Chop the courgette and onion and set aside. Grate/process the cauli (to a rice like consistency) and add to the dry mix, then add the water and mix through well. Stir through the onion, courgette and rosemary last.

The mixture should be thick and clumpy but easy to spoon into a tin. I used an 8” silicone cake tin, but you could also use a metal one with removable bottom. This would work in a pie dish but I’m not sure how well it would remove from the pan.

Press the mixture firmly into the pan but leave the top quite rough for some nice texture. Bake at 180C for approx 30 mins until the tops is nice and golden and feels firm.

Serve either hot or cold. This ‘quiche’ holds together really well when cold so would also be great for picnics/lunchboxes. I haven’t tied freezing it but I imagine it could be.

I'd love you to join me in other places too!  

Why not sign up for emails in my sidebar where I feature roundups and special offers. If you are new round here check out my 'About' and 'Getting Started' tabs up top. To buy nibbles you can also find me over at Wholeplus.  Day to day you can also find me in these places:

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Mini picnic quiche

The sun is shining, summer is here ….and it’s BBQ time!

Sunshine always gives me the feel good factor, but today just didn’t feel quite right. You know sometimes you just get those days when you feel a bit bummed out, sometimes there’s a logical reason and sometimes there’s not.

Sometimes I just feel lonely. There have been a few things playing on my mind recently, and at times like that I am reminded of the downside to ‘doing things differently’ and not simply following the crowd without questioning.  I haven’t got anyone to turn to in the same way as I did before and I have no-one that truly understands me anymore, I mean I’ve barely begun to understand myself yet!

I will never regret going down the paths I have taken, and the ways in which my life has changed, but sometimes I wish, just for a few moments, I didn’t have to think, I could just be and go with the flow and not worry about the consequences or what will become. I sometimes wish someone else could make the decisions and just tell me what to do…working it all out for yourself is mighty hard! But I also know it’s the only way to truly live the life you want.

Well, that’s enough of all that philosophical talk. That’s what happens when it’s silly late at night and I’m tired…but determined to get the post written up before going to sleep!

It’s been a hot sunny day…happy happy happy. And I am happy, really, life is good. I’m just having a silly moment.

So let’s talk BBQ’s, since this evening’s dinner was a cosy little BBQ at my friend’s house. I took along a couple of things to add to the food collection.

Guess which one was mine?

If you read this post you may have guessed!  Yep it was the black bean beet burger towards the back. Looks pretty authentic though, right?

I also made a few mini quiches to share. These mini's are perfect for BBQ's or picnics. The recipe was prety much identical to this quiche recipe, but this time without a crust and served cold as mini snack bites, so they seemed totally different; the perfect light bite. This is such a simple recipe and I have provided it again below. I would strongly recommend silicone mini muffin pans as this will make it easier to pop the quiches out. Also allow the quiches to fully cool before handling them as I also found it a little more difficult to remove from the pan whilst still warm (I was in a rush to get to the BBQ so couldn't wait for as long!)

In typical Bristish style the sun began to set and the breeze got up just as we sat own to eat. It was a little on the chilly side, after having been so hot all day, so as soon as we’d eaten we cosied up inside for an evening of girlie chat.

Recipe: Mini picnic quiche

Ingredients:

• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ cup chickpea flour
• 1 tbs potato starch (or other starch)
• 3 tsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp mustard
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ tsp mixed herbs
• pinch paprika
• Large pinch baking powder
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 cup water
• Veggies- I used ½ grated courgette, 1 small pepper diced, 1/3 cup  each sweetcorn and soy beans. Feel free to use whatever other veggies you have to hand, ensuring you chop the pieces small enough.

Method:

In a medium bowl whisk together the ingredients, other than the water. Once a smooth paste is achieved add the water and whisk again until smooth. It should be about the consistency of pancake batter and have no lumps.

Pour the batter into mini muffin pans filling them  half way. Add the vegies equally between each muffin pan.

Bake for approx. 30 minutes, until the filling appears well set and pulls away from the side of the muffin tray. Let cool in tray before removing.

Vegan Quiche- gluten free/soy free

It did work! The very much experimental Bank Holiday Monday trial dinner paid off, and I think it offers a versatile recipe that may well be back in various forms.

I have never made a vegan quiche before even though I have come across numerous recipes in the past, it was simply something I had not got round to doing. So finally I have… and to give myself a double challenge I opted for a GF crust (as opposed to spelt as I would have typically gone for).

Most quiche recipes I have come across use a tofu mix as the ‘eggy’ part. I personally don’t have any objection to soy, but I know many people do and also others have allergies so I was intrigued to see what other options were out there. Ok, I’ll admit, that being the person I am I don’t like to do things the easy way so thought I may as well go all the way in ‘experimentalness’ (new word?)  The answer...? Chickpea flour...well I never!

Before some of you scroll down and loose the plot with my unusually long list of instructions, let me just say three things:

1- This quiche is worth the effort

2- You could opt for any crust recipe if you have a favourite (or buy one if you insist!)

3- These firm up really well and would make great crust-less quiches in muffins tins if you want to speed things up and make less work for yourself  (note: I have not tested this idea but now i so want to!)

I did a lot of research before attempting this quiche and therefore I give credit below to two recipes that inspired the filling and the crust, as usual I changed things up a bit  (partly due to ingredients I had to hand) but they gave me the basis to work from. The crust itself is quite thick and very filling,  so you could make it a little thinner if you like (maybe 4-5mm)  and I think it would still hold together well. It was really crisp with a slight flakiness which I loved although my mum (who I was making dinner for also) said she thought it was harder than a regular wheat crust but she enjoyed it all the same.

I had a left over portion for my lunch the next day and it was just as good. I warmed it up before serving but you could just as easily have it cold as it firms up really well as a 'veggie slice' hence why I think it would make really good crust-less mini quiches even you allow them to cool in tins before serving.

P.S. I apologise for the not so great photos- these were taken with my makeshift night kit (I misjudged the timing and it got dark by the time it was served) and for some reason I just wasn't really having much success with the lighting, so having to rely on Photoshop instead... oh well. I can already anticipate Foodgawkers blunt critique!

Recipe: Veggie Quiche 

Makes approx. one 9’quiche to serve 4

Ingredients- crust

Inspired by  this recipe

• ¾ cup buckwheat flour
• ¾ cup brown rice flour
• 4tbs arrowroot
• 4tbs tapioca starch
• 1 tbs ground flax or chia (optional- I think this helps to bind)
• ½ tsp salt
• 3 tsp soft (not melted) coconut oil
• 3 tsp olive oil
• 2 tsp white wine vinegar (or any mild vinegar)
• 2tbs cold water (or more as needed)

Method:

In a medium bowl, mix together the flours and starches. Add the remaining ingredients and mix with your hands until and firm dough forms (add a little extra water if the dough is too dry or a little extra buckwheat flour if too wet).

The dough will be firm and should hold together well, it should roll out fairly easily, mine was a little crumbly but that is fine since you will mainly press it in the pie dish anyway. Roughly roll the dough into a circle the size of you dish then place the dish upside down over the dough circle before flipping it over the allow the dough to fall into the dish (does that make sense?)  Alternatively you can get your hands in and simply using your fingers to press the dough evenly to cover the pie dish right up to the rim.

Prick the pasty with a fork and then pre-bake for 10 mins at 180C.

Whilst the crust is baking, prepare the filing. Feel free to vary the veg from the ones I have used below.

Ingredients- filling

Inspired by this recipe

• 1 medium courgette- chopped into half-rounds
• ½ a large red bell pepper- chopped into strips
• ½ cup soy beans or peas (thawed if using frozen)
• 1 small onion- thinly sliced
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ cup chickpea flour
• 1 tbs potato starch (or other starch)
• 3 tsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp mustard
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ tsp mixed herbs
• pinch paprika
• Large pinch baking powder
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 cup water

Method:

Chop the veggies and set aside.

In a separate bowl (or a food processor as I did), whisk together the remaining ingredients, other than the water) once you have a smooth paste add the water and whisk again until smooth. It should be about the consistency of pancake batter and have no lumps.

Once the quiche crust is out if the oven, fill it with the veggies so that it is just about full. Pour the batter on top of your veggies making sure to fill all of the gaps. Lightly tap the pan on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles.

Bake for approx. 30 minutes, until the filling appears set and every so lightly golden brown on top. Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing. The leftovers can also be eaten cold the next day (which is what I did!)