Throughout my time as a vegan I have tried…and failed… to make quiché. Its really annoying when you work, and toil in the kitchen on a new recipe for your family’s dinner, only for it to be a serious disappointment. Peanut butter sandwiches are nice, but not for dinner.

So, it was kind of on a whim that I decided to try my hand at quiché again. This time there was no meal depending on this recipe’s success. I had been working on veggie burger recipes the day before and had some leftover brown rice, so I decided to go just try my hand at quichés again. This time of course, I was making picking the ingredients, and my first thought was a recipe from The Little Guides Vegetarian that I used to enjoy when I ate eggs.

I not only ate it for dinner, but for lunch the next day and breakfast the day after that! I have to say its a great recipe to have in your arsenal. It works for any meal, its quick and easy, and travels well!

 

Cauliflower, Zucchini and Brown Rice Quiché

Ingredients:

1- 9 inch pie crust, unbaked

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 cup zucchini, shredded (approximately 1 medium)

1 cup finely chopped cauliflower (about 4.5 oz, or 1/4 head)

1 teaspoon basil

1 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

1 cup cooked brown rice

(1/2 cup rice + 1 cup water + pinch of salt- simmer 40-50 minutes)

1- 12 oz block firm, or extra firm tofu

2 teaspoons nutritional yeast

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon kala namak

1 Tablespoon organic cornstarch

3 Tablespoons vegetable stock

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prick the bottom of the unbaked pie shell with fork, then line with foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans.

Bake for 9-10 minutes. Then take out the foil and the beans and cook 2-3 minutes more.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, add oil and cook onion 3-5 minutes.

Add zucchini, cauliflower, basil and 3/4 teaspoon salt, and cook until tender, but not mushy, about 5-7 minutes. Add in the 1 cup of cooked brown rice and stir to mix. Take off of heat and set aside.

Reduce oven to 375 degrees.

In a food processor, add tofu, nutritional yeast, turmeric, garlic powder, kala namak, the remaining 3/4 tsp salt, cornstarch and vegetable broth.

Blend until smooth, 2-3 minutes. Scraping down the sides.

Add the tofu mixture to the vegetable and rice mixture in the saucepan and mix well. Pour into the pie shell and smooth out the top.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until firm to the touch. If the crust starts to brown too quickly, cover with strips of foil.

Allow to cool 10-15 minutes before cutting. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.