Gluten-free quichelettes

I like having gluten-free options for family and friends, but a lot of recipes try too hard to recreate all aspects of a non-GF dish. I like things that are more naturally-occurring GF--something everyone at the table would choose to eat, not just those who have no other choice.

When I saw a box of gluten-free stuffing mix at Trader Joe's, it just struck me that those crunchy croutons would make a great base for quichelettes, and happily I turned out to be right. The croutons themselves were so tasty I kept snacking on them as I was preparing the dish, which was itself inspired by a recipe I'd seen on Pinterest, sponsored by Bisquick.

The final product is a little handful of quiche with a creamy eggy filling soaking down the vegetables into the crouton base layer that stays just the right amount of crunchy.

So, here's the process:

Sautee whatever vegetables you want to use. In my fridge I found onion, roasted pasilla chile, and purple kale. Next time I'll probably opt for green onion and red bell pepper, and definitely chop everything into more consistently-sized pieces as this first attempt is a bit ragged with the pieces of kale and cheese sticking here and there.

Spray muffin tins and put in a base layer of croutons.

Then spoon in a small amount of the sauteed vegetables. Top with shredded cheese--I used a combo of cheddar and a four-Italian-cheese medley.

For 14 quichelettes I whipped 4 eggs with one cup heavy cream until frothy, added salt, pepper, and thyme, then poured a little into each muffin cup, distributing as evenly as I could.

After about 10-12 minutes in a 425 oven, the tops were puffy and nothing jiggled, so out they came. Next time I'll include a little less vegetable filling, keeping the same amount of cheese and egg. I might crush the croutons a little so they make a little more consistent base layer. However, now I know I have an excellent base recipe that is super-easy to make and can handle all sorts of variations. This could be made with regular croutons of course, but the flavor and extra crunchiness of the gluten-free ones are definitely my first choice for this recipe.

Eat real food

In yesterday's San Bernardino Sun a consumer reporter recommended saving money by buying a whole freezerful of beef before prices rose. That same day the LA Times referenced, again, the "pink slime" additive found in so much ground beef without any special labeling required. Just below that was a link to the study noting that any amount of red meat shortens a person's expected life span (and it doesn't seem to matter whether it's the quality stuff worth packing away in a freezer or the 2 for 99 cents burgers from am/pm). Ewwww.

I understand the allure of meaty, hearty meals. It's just that you don't need a butcher to get you there. That's why god gave us beans and herbs and all sorts of other lovely ingredients. The other day my friend Maryanne reminded me of Michael Pollan's most basic rule: Eat real food. Mostly plants.

We were at our favorite produce stand, browsing among the lettuces. I had a crockpot of cranberry beans simmering at home (they are very similar to pintos, just a little larger and sweeter, and cook a bit faster) and, as I surveyed all the options for turning them into a delicious meal, I wondered why anyone would be offended by Pollan's love of actual, authentic food. You'd be amazed at the names he gets called: Food Nazi is one of the kinder ones.

I came home with not only the Fairytale Pumpkin whose story has yet to turn magical (see earlier post), but also a box of good ol' fashioned local produce that is finding its way into my delicious

happily ever after. This morning I sauteed a little onion, garlic, anaheim chile, and orange bell pepper together, ladled in some of the cranberry beans, and then stepped outside for a few leaves of fresh sage. The earthiness of the sage filled out all the other flavors, and in less time than it takes to brown a Jimmy Dean sausage I had a beautiful plate of that best of all country breakfasts. No artery-clogging bacon needed, and no greasy skillet to scrub out later. It's not just that I want to eat good food that keeps me healthy, it's that this was the yummiest option out there in breakfastland.