Quiche is a lifesaving dish. It’s easy to cook, serves a crowd, and can be eaten for brunch, lunch, or dinner. Plus, it could be customized according to your tastes and preferences. It’s also full of nutritional benefits, especially when you make healthy modifications to eliminate the trans fats in the crust and grease in the filling.

Quiches can be a healthy choice. They are rich in protein due to the high egg content and other ingredients, such as lean meats, depending on what you choose for the filling. Eggs are a good source of essential vitamins and minerals, such as calcium, iron, zinc, and vitamin B12. This dish can also boost fiber intake when you choose fillings such as spinach, broccoli, tomatoes, peppers, kale, butternut squash, mushrooms, and zucchinis. Fiber can aid digestion and help a person feel satiated after a meal. [1]

Many quiches are stuffed with cheese, and the crust is often made with processed flours, oils, and possibly contain transfats. A simple way to make quiche healthier is to simply omit the crust or you can swap it with healthy and naturally gluten-free sweet potatoes. A mandoline can make the potato slicing easy, but you can also use a knife to cut the sweet potato thinly. 

This recipe is delicious and easy to make, and the sweet potato crust might become a new favorite in your house!

Spinach and Feta Quiche with Sweet Potato Crust

Ingredients:

• Avocado oil for coating the pan and sweet potatoes
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices 
• 1 teaspoon avocado oil, for sautéing the onion
• 1/2 cup sliced red onion 
• 1 (5-oz.) bag fresh baby spinach 
• 1/2 cup whole milk* (See notes for a dairy-free version)
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper 
• 4 large eggs 
• 2 large egg whites 
• 1.5 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about 1/3 cup)* (see notes for a dairy-free version) or if you’re looking for something easy and plant-based try this vegan feta cheese mix

Read: Mouthwatering Chocolate Avocado Cake (Gluten, Dairy & Egg Free)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Grease a 9-inch pie plate with avocado oil.
3. Layer the sweet potatoes slices in slightly overlapping circles on the bottom and sides of the plate.
4. You might need to cut the slices in half to fit them around the sides.
5. Brush the sweet potatoes with avocado oil. 
6. Bake the pie plate in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are slightly tender.
7. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool. 
8. Increase oven temperature to 375°F.
9. Place a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
10. Add a teaspoon of avocado oil to the skillet and sauté the onion slices for three minutes.
11. Add spinach to the pan, and sauté for three more minutes.
12. Remove the skillet from the heat, and allow to cool.
13. Combine the milk, eggs, egg whites, salt, black pepper, and red pepper in a medium bowl; combine with a whisk.
14. Arrange the spinach mixture into the cooled sweet potato crust.
15. Pour the egg mixture over the spinach.
16. Sprinkle feta over the filling. 
17. Bake the quiche at 375°F for 35 minutes or until the egg mixture is set.
18. Let the quiche stand for five minutes and serve.

Notes:

For a dairy-free version, swap out regular milk for unsweetened almond milk. Feta cheese has a tangy flavor, and if you’re short on time, you could either use a store-bought vegan feta cheese mix or substitute with kalamata olives to keep that briny flavor. Alternatively, you can make your own vegan feta cheese. This is an easy recipe but it will take some time.

• 14 oz block of extra firm tofu
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup water
• juice and zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• ¼ cup olive brine juice from a jar of olives – kalamata is best
• 1 clove garlic peeled and minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon dried basil
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

1. Drain the tofu by either using a press or by placing the block of tofu on a plate lined with paper towels.
2. Place more paper towels on top of the tofu, along with another plate, then place something heavy like a book on top.
3. Let it drain for four hours, draining the liquid from the plate every hour or so.
4. Slice the tofu into ½ inch cubes.
5. Mix the oil, water, lemon juice and zest, vinegar, olive brine, and spices together to make the marinade. 
6. Pour the marinade over the tofu, making sure every cube is covered.
7. Allow it to marinate for several hours, preferably overnight, in the fridge. 
8. Remove the cubes from the marinade and use them as a replacement for feta in recipes.
9. If you’re not going to use the feta right away, marinade it in mason jars instead of the bowl. It will keep for at least 2–3 days. 

See more information about this vegan feta cheese on Delicious Everyday.

Read More: 6 Most Nutritious Gluten-Free Flours, Plus A Delicious Almond Bread Recipe

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