Author Notes
I first tried a version of this dish at a dinner party. I asked my host for the recipe, and she gave me a copy of her Vegetarian Times. I tried the recipe, "Quinoa and Greens Pie" and hated it! It called for chicory and cooked romaine, and it was nothing like the delicious spinach filled quiche that I had at the Wilson's house. I asked Mrs. Wilson if she made changes to the original recipe, only to find that she had changed nearly everything about it! - Hilarybee
I began my own experimentations on the recipe, keeping the premise of the greens and quinoa held together by eggs. I changed nearly everything else about the recipe, including the number of eggs. After a year, I have a recipe that I love and routinely use. For the greens, I always use kale, but I like to throw in some mustard greens when I have them. —Hilarybee
Test Kitchen Notes
Kale and quinoa are a match made in heaven, and it turns out they're even better when you throw some eggs and cheese into the mix. Hilarybee gently wilts the kale, tossing it with caramelized onions, cooked quinoa, cream cheese, sharp cheddar and garlic before folding in some beaten egg -- just enough to hold everything together as the quiche puffs and browns in the oven. If raw garlic isn't your thing, toss it in with the onions right before they're finished caramelizing—we enjoyed the mild bite. - A&M —The Editors
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Ingredients
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1/2 cup
Quinoa
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1 cup
water
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2 tablespoons
Olive Oil
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1
bunch Kale, stems removed and cut into ribbons
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1
Vidalia Onion, thinly sliced
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2
cloves of garlic, minced
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1/2 cup
white cheddar cheese
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3 ounces
cream cheese, cubed
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4
eggs
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salt and pepper to taste
Directions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare a 9" pie dish (either butter the dish thoroughly or spray with baking spray). Rinse the quinoa. Combine the quinoa and water in a pan. Bring to a boil on medium-high heat and then reduce to a simmer. This will take about twenty minutes. Set aside.
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Meanwhile, start to caramelize the onions. Heat the olive oil in a large saute on medium heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the onions. Slowly cook until the onions are soft and browned.
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Remove the onions from the pan, and place them in a large mixing bowl. Add the kale into the hot onion pan. On medium heat, cook until the kale is wilted and bright green, about two minutes.
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Allow the greens to cool. Squeeze out any extra liquid using a sieve or a clean dish towel.
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Add the kale, quinoa, garlic, cream cheese and cheddar to the mixing bowl with the onions. Stir the ingredients so that they are evenly distributed.
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In a small bowl, whisk the eggs so that they are well combined. Pour over the quinoa/kale mixture. Stir until the egg clings to the greens. Add salt and pepper.
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Pour the mixture in the prepared pie dish. Bake for about 45 minutes, until the top is golden and the pie has started to pull away from the edge of the baking dish. This dish is delightful hot, but even better at room temperature.
Dedicated locavore. I spend my weekends on the back roads (often lost!) looking for the best ingredients Ohio has to offer. I am often accompanied by my husband, Mr. Radar and our dog, Buddy. Born in West Virginia, raised in Michigan, I moved to Ohio for college and have lived there on and off since. I love to meet farmers and local producers. Cooking is an extension of this love.
You can follow my move from government analyst to cottage industrialist and view the food I cook for my personal mad scientist on thistleconfections.com
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