Recipe: Gluten Free Crustless Bacon & Pepper Quiche with Goat Cheese

I haven't been having the best of luck lately with gluten free pie crusts, and although I don't mind making my own from scratch, it's not something I want to do while cooking for the week, especially during the heat of the summer. The best GF crust I've ever used was from the Kawartha Bakery in Lakefield, ON, but since I don't live near there, I don't get to buy it often. So I made a crustless quiche instead. This week was all about clean out the fridge cooking, and this quiche is a great example of that. Feel free to substitute for whatever vegetable you have on hand or like to eat with eggs.

Ingredients
Preheat oven to 375F
** You will need a pie plate or reusable aluminum one to pour in the mix.

10 eggs
6 slices bacon
1 bell pepper, seeded and diced (any colour except green)
1 cup milk or milk substitute (I used Soy milk, it worked fine)
1 cup grated white cheddar (I used goat's milk cheddar)
Salt and Pepper
1/2 tsp. dried thyme or other dried herb you like
Grated parmesan or crumbled goat cheese (optional)

Directions

1- Roughly chop the bacon and fry until cooked through. I like my bacon crispy, but it's up to you. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels.

2- Dice and cook the bell peppers and any other vegetables in the bacon grease until soft. Drain on paper towels as well.

3- In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs with milk, a bit of salt, pepper, and thyme. Place the pie plate on a cookie sheet.

4- Place the bacon, peppers in the pie plate and pour the egg mixture over top. Sprinkle the grated cheese evenly over the top, if using. Place the pie plate in the oven still on the baking sheet. This catches any excess that may boil over.  Cook at 375F for about 30 min. or until the eggs have cooked through. A toothpick inserted in the middle should come out clean.

The mix might puff when cooking, but it should settle when finished. Eat warm or cold. I like to cut it into little squares for my son to eat with his hands, but it slices nicely like a regular quiche.

Love Eggs? 5 Gluten Free Breakfast Ideas Using Eggs

We eat a lot of eggs around here, but it's easy to get stuck in a rut.  With these 5 breakfast ideas (or breakfast for dinner ideas) never get stuck in an egg rut again!  From the basic to more complicated recipes, all are gluten free and sure to please. 




1- Mushroom and Spinach Quiche:  Feeds a crowd, fancy enough for special occasions (Mother's Day is coming up), and freezes well.  Recipe. 








2- Soft Boiled Egg with Gluten Free Toast Strips for Dipping:  Kids love to dip things, so when I was little, instead of placing a fried egg on my plate, my Dad would soft boil an egg, put it in an egg holder, and cut my toast in strips to dip in the egg.  Now I do that for my son, only the toast is gluten free.


3- Omelette:  Omelettes are pretty easy to make, and can be prepared using whatever ingredients you like.  Chopped ham, grated cheese, chopped herbs, tomatoes, peppers, you name it.  My son likes his pretty much plain, not folded over, so that he can pick it up in his hands and eat it like a waffle . Don't ask. 
Simple omelette:  3 eggs, splash of milk, small handful grated cheese, finely chopped parsley, salt and pepper to taste.  Beat eggs, milk, salt and pepper and pour in small frying pan.  Add cheese and parsley, and let cook until bottom is firm.  Flip and finish cooking. 





4- Frittata:  This is a great way to empty the fridge of all those bits and pieces you don't know what to do with.  Thicker than an omelette, a frittata can be eaten warm or cold, served in wedges.  Recipe.








5- Breakfast Burrito: All you really need for this are scrambled eggs, a corn or gluten free flour tortilla, and your imagination.  I like to make mine with grated cheese, diced tomatoes, avocado and salsa, but any flavour combination you like best works.  If I only have small tortillas I make breakfast tacos, but a wrapped up burrito is great for those mornings when you're eating on the run.

Eggs truly are one of the most versatile ingredients out there, and can add great variety to anyone's morning routine.  How do you like your eggs?

10 Gluten Free Breakfast Ideas

Trying to find something different to feed my son every morning can be difficult, so here's a simple go-to list of breakfast basic that are delicious for the whole family. 

***Updated September 2013



1- Eggs: scrambled, fried, boiled.  Add some bacon or sausage, fruit or GF toast. Need some recipes? Try one of these 5 Egg Breakfast Ideas. 






2- Smoothies: a little water or milk, fresh or frozen fruit and some honey. Try a Strawberry-Banana Breakfast Smoothie, or one of these Three Smoothie Recipes. 









3- Rice Cereal, Quinoa Cereal, or Oatmeal (if you can have oats): I add some raisins, brown sugar and soy milk.  If oats are an option, a gluten free granola can be made in advance and eaten all week. Try my recipe for Gluten Free Cranberry Walnut Granola.
  







4- Gluten Free Pancakes or Waffles: Frozen, from a mix, or from scratch, with some fresh fruit. Pancakes can be made in advance, frozen, and popped in the toaster for a quick morning meal. My recipe for Homemade Pancakes is simple.





5- Fruit salad: with GF granola or a boiled egg


6- GF cereal bar: for those mornings on the run and some fruit or a smoothie


7- GF Cereal: with dairy-free milk. Chex, Rice Krispies, and other popular brands are now available gluten free.

8- Yogurt parfait: Layer yogurt, fruit, nuts, seeds or grains and drizzle with some honey or agave for a touch of sweetness.

9- GF toast: with sun butter, peanut butter, etc., as a side or on its own. My son likes toasted corn tortillas, which are cheaper and have fewer ingredients. Tortillas are easy to make at home, freeze well, and can be popped in the toaster. Try my simple Recipe for Corn Tortillas.




10- Breakfast burrito or Eggs with Beans: Scramble some eggs with whatever veggies you like and wrap it all up in a tortilla. Or, try a typical Latin American breakfast with eggs, beans, avocado, cheese, and thicker, soft corn tortillas.

What's for Sunday Brunch?

Yesterday a good friend and her daughter dropped in for Sunday Brunch.  What was on the menu? A mushroom, bell pepper and tomato frittata, cornbread, rice paper rolls with mango and carrot accompanied by two dipping sauces, salad and fruit.  And all gluten-free, nut-free and dairy- free!  The cornbread was from a mix, but the rest was prepared from scratch.  A simple and delicious Sunday Brunch!

Frittata Recipe

8 eggs
4 mushrooms, diced
1 orange or yellow bell pepper, diced
1 tomato, seeded and diced
1/2 onion, diced
1 green onion, sliced finely
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried parsley or mixed herbs
1-2 tbsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1- Chop all vegetables ahead of time and keep each separated.  In a large bowl, combine eggs, salt and pepper and whisk thoroughly.
2- Heat oil over medium heat in a pan that is the size of frittata you wish to make.  The smaller the pan, the thicker the frittata.
3- Add the garlic, onions and bell pepper to the oil, cooking until softened.  Add mushrooms and cook another 1-2 minutes.
4-   Add tomato and green onion to eggs, stirring to combine and pour over vegetables in pan.
5- Stir mixture until eggs begin to cook through.  Place a lid on the eggs and allow to finish cooking, being careful not to burn the bottom.  My frittata took approximately 20-25 minutes to cook completely.  An alternative to the stove top method is to place the oven proof pan in a 350F oven until cooked through, usually about 20 minutes.
6- Transfer to a plate or serving platter by sliding out of pan.  Cut into wedges and serve warm or cold.

My son likes to eat his with ketchup, but I put out some grated pecorino cheese for my friend who doesn't have the same dietary restrictions. 

Happy cooking!