As I mentioned in my weekly recap and WIAW, I hosted my second annual dinner party last Saturday evening. I’m calling it second annual because I hosted my first one last February, and I’m hoping to continue the tradition of bringing friends from different parts of my life together on a Saturday night during a short and chilly month for years to come.
This WIAW showcases one of the last days of my elimination, when I was missing dairy like crazy and still super hungry all the time. I had high hopes last Thursday that a baked quinoa cake, a few dollops of peanut butter, and a giant apple might hold me over from breakfast for an entire two hours until an early lunch. No such luck, though it was delicious.
This Thursday, I’m thinking out loud about my plans to meal prep and pack my lunches (and breakfasts, and some dinners) for the work week while I have time on the weekend.
Like any native New Yorker, I love a good lox n’ onion omelet. But I wanted to serve something a little snazzier for my Breakfast-for-Dinner Party, so I came up with the idea of making the smoked salmon and eggs into a quiche. The crust is made from quinoa, so it’s naturally gluten-free, and adding spices to the mix lets you flavor it to any taste. It’s also a little different, sure to surprise and delight your guests! And while the recipe makes 8 servings, you can halve everything for a smaller version and a make-ahead breakfast for yourself for a few days.
Ingredients:
1 cup white quinoa
2 cups broth (mushroom works great, but chicken and vegetable are also good options)
Quinoa crust before baking
6 whole eggs
3 egg whites
1 Tbsp olive oil + additional for greasing pan
1/4 cup milk of choice
4 oz nova smoked salmon
1/4 cup cream cheese (omit for dairy-free option)
1 small clove garlic
2 tbsp scallions
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp basil
1 Tbsp dill weed
1 Tbsp parsley
Salt and pepper
Instructions:
Quiche with egg mixture poured in
1. Bring 2 cups broth to a boil in a pot on the stove, then add quinoa and 1 Tbsp olive oil and a dash of salt and pepper. Cook 12-15 minutes until quinoa is fully cooked. While cooking the quinoa, preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Remove the pot of quinoa from the heat and mix in 3 egg whites and 1/2 Tbsp each of garlic, basil, dill, and parsley. Mix thoroughly so the spices are evenly spread throughout the mixture.
3. Grease an 8″ pan well with olive oil. Using a large spoon, transfer the quinoa mixture to the pan and press down to create a bottom crust and edges. Smooth out as necessary.
4. Bake quinoa crust at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes.
Be sure to let the quiche cool before slicing!
5. In a separate bowl, combine 6 eggs with remaining spices, scallions, and garlic. Pour mixture into crust, and bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
6. Remove quiche after 15 minutes, just before the egg mixture is cooked through. Arrange slices of smoked salmon on top and cook for another 15 minutes. (If you want to use cream cheese, add it in here).
7. Let cool for 30 minutes (you can re-heat in oven before slicing, but it’s best to let it cool down first!)
8. Slice and serve. Enjoy!
Breakfast-for-dinner is served!
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