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#75: No-Egg Cheesey Quinoa Breakfast Cups {vegan+glutenfree}

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[Post #75 for 365 days of Vegan, Gluten-Free, Portable Power Pucks]

Google “quinoa egg muffin;” you’ll generate more than 4 million hits.

It’s popular.

The reason is self-evident: take a super-grain (quinoa; one of the only plant sources with a complete amino acid profile, i.e. “complete protein”), couple it with beaten eggs (more protein, plus super-binding powers) and cheese (because delicious is a good thing), bake in a handy dandy muffin tin, and presto, multiple high-protein, portable breakfasts (or snacks, or any other meal) are ready for packing and eating. Pretty neat.

I’ve decided to add my own take. With two significant changes:

(1) No eggs.

(2) No dairy.

With all modesty aside, they rock.

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I didn’t have to use voodoo or magic to make them, either. Just chickpea flour ( to replace the eggs) and a combination of nutritional yeast and non-dairy Cheddar cheese for the cheesey factor.

A simple batter made with chickpea flour makes a delicious, eggy option, sans eggs. I have used it in quiches, frittatas, and other egg-free options (for example, here, here,  here, and here); it is remarkable how the flavor adn texture resembles eggs.

The cheese factor comes from a combination of nutritional yeast and non-dairy Cheddar cheese. If you eat dairy, you can certainly use dairy cheese here (and use Parmesan, for example, in place of the yeast). If you do not want the yeast, no problem; just leave it out. I used a no-soy cheese (Daiya; they do not sponsor me, this is simply my preference. Plus, it is widely available, affordable and tastes great).

You can go as minimalist or extravagant as you like with the add-ins, (e.g., vegetables, herbs, spices), so make these your own! Here’s to protein-packed, easy, affordable and portable breakfasts!

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No-Egg Cheesey Quinoa Breakfast Cups {vegan+glutenfree}
 
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Recipe by::
Recipe type: Portable Power Pucks, Breakfast, Snack
Serves: 6 cups
Ingredients
  • 1 cup nondairy milk (or dairy, if not vegan)
  • ⅓ cup chickpea flour
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt (or to taste)
  • ⅛ teaspoon turmeric (optional)
  • 1-1/2 cups cooked quinoa
  • ½ cup chopped green onions
  • 1 cup non-dairy Cheddar cheese (or dairy, if not vegan)
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, whisk the milk, chickpea flour, yeast, olive oil, salt, and (optional) turmeric until smooth. Loosely cover and let stand 30 minutes refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
  2. Preheat oven to 375F. Grease, spray or line 6 cups of a standard muffin tin.
  3. Add the quinoa and all but 2 tablespoons of the green onions to the chickpea batter. Divide mixture evenly between the prepared cups. Divide cheese evenly among the cups, pressing down slightly into batter. Sprinkle with remaining green onions.
  4. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes until the centers are just set. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool for at least 15 minutes. Remove from tin and serve warm or cool completely.
Notes
Quinoa: It will take ½ cup dry quinoa, ccoked according to package directions, to yield 1-1/2 cups.

Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months. These will keep in a lunch bag, nrefrigerated, for up to 8 hours.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 154 Fat: 8.2 g Saturated fat: 2.2 g Carbohydrates: 14.9 g Sugar: 1.9 g Sodium: 176 mg Fiber: 2.5 g Protein: 6 g Cholesterol: 7 mg

 

 

Best Ever Vegan Mayonnaise (soy-free, made with chickpea flour!)

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I’ve never been much of a fan of jarred mayonnaise (I avoided it like the plague throughout childhood), but homemade versions–whether you call them mayonnaise or aioli–are something else entirely. Luscious, rich, and deeply flavorful, homemade mayonnaise makes everything from sandwiches to vegetables to appetizers irresistible.

My only problem? The raw eggs that deliver mayonnaise’s signature unctiousness. It is, of course, a problem for anyone who excludes egg from their diets, but even if you do eat eggs, eating raw eggs is equally scary and gross.

Recipes for egg-free mayonnaise abound. Jaymi Heimbuch over at Mother Nature Network, has a terrific review of 3 vegan mayonnaise recipes, but all three contain soy. Moreover, her “winner” (i.e., most like real mayonnaise) uses tofu. All fine, but what if you’re avoiding soy?

I am thrilled to present my solution, one you have never see before now: egg-free, dairy-free, soy-free mayonnaise made with chickpea flour! All humility aside, it is the best ever vegan mayonnaise.

Why chickpea flour? When combined with water and some heat, chickpea flour is a fantastic egg substitute. Once combined with other traditional mayo ingredients (oil, mustard, lemon), it yields a velvety spread that you would swear is the real deal.

My essential recipe is easily tweaked in, oh, a million ways with various herbs, spices and other combinations. I’ve included my two favorites: a French-inspired aioli and an extra lemony mayonnaise.

Enjoy! I would love to hear if you give this a try!

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Best Ever Vegan Mayonnaise (soy-free, made with chickpea flour!)
 
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Prep time
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Recipe by::
Recipe type: condiment
Serves: 2 cups
Ingredients
  • 1 cup water
  • 6 tablespoons (45 grams) chickpea flour
  • ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1-1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • ⅔ cup neutral-flavor vegetable oil
  • pinch of cayenne pepper
Instructions
  1. In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat.
  2. Whisk in the chickpea flour and salt. Cook for 1 minute, whisking constantly. Reduce the heat to medium-low; cook, whisking, for 4 to 5 minutes longer, until thickened. Transfer mixture to a smal, heatproof bowl; cover and refrigerate until cold.
  3. Transfer the cold chickpea mixture to a food processor or blender. Add the oil, lemon juice, mustard, and cayenne; process until blended and very creamy. Transfer to a sealable jar or other covered container.
  4. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 months. Use as you would any other mayonnaise or aioli!
Notes
Variations:

Aioli: Use extra-virgin olive oil for the oil and add 2 small cloves garlic, mashed into a paste, when blending all of the ingredients in a blender.

Lemon Mayonnaise: Increase the lemon juice to 2 tbalespoons and add 1-1/2 teaspoons of finely grated lemon zest when blending all of the ingredients in a blender.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1 tablespoon Calories: 43 Fat: 4.3 g Saturated fat: 0 g Trans fat: 0 g Carbohydrates: 0.9 g Sugar: 0.1 g Sodium: 47 mg Fiber: 0.6 g Protein: 0.3 g Cholesterol: 0 mg

 

Chickpea Flour Mini Quiches {vegan, grain-free, gluten-free}

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Today is the last day of my month of portable power food (I’ll do a round-up of all of the recipes in a separate post), all of which I designed for staying on track through January in particular, but all year round, too.

I’ve written only one savory option so far (Paleo Almond Flour Mushroom Muffins), so I am squeezing in one more on for this final post of the series. As good as the other recipes are, I have saved the best for last. It is extraordinary. Rock-your-world-worthy. A  year from now, you will have made the recipe more times than you can count.

I’m talking about my Mini Chickpea Flour Quiches.

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Here is a brief list of their attributes:

*Super-easy to make
*Super-fast to make
*Extremely frugal (aka cheap :))
*Vegan (egg-free and dairy-free)
*Gluten-free
*Grain-free
*Soy-free
*Portable
*Make-ahead
*Endlessly versatile flavor combinations
*Filling and satisfying
*Low in calories
*High in protein (8 grams per quiche)
*High in fiber (7.2 grams for the basic batter–even more once you add vegetables)

*And, most importantly, incredibly DELICIOUS! Creamy and custardy like traditional quiche, plus the outside edges are slightly crisp like a traditional crust.

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It’s all about the chickpea flour. Chickpea flour is simply finely ground dried chickpeas. It goes by many names, such as garbanzo bean flour, besan, cici flour and gram flour, and is used in cuisines all over the world, including India, Pakistan,Myanmar (Burma), France, Spain, Italy, Morocco, and throughout the Middle East. It is naturally gluten-free and grain-free and can be used in many ways similar to wheat flour, but also in extraordinary ways to make creamy and crispy savory and sweet dishes.

Chickpea flour is a very inexpensive gluten-free flour. You can find it in the health food section of most grocery stores, at natural food stores (including the bulk food section) , and in many Southeast Asian and Middle Eastern markets. Keep in mind, though, that if you are following a strict gluten-free diet, you’ll want to buy a certified gluten-free brand, like Bob’s Red Mill (it is the most commonly available option anyway).

To make these quiches, simply mix chickpea flour with water, olive oil, salt, plus any herbs and spices you like. Add some vegetables of your choice (cooked vegetables work best, or finely chopped/ shredded raw vegetables), ladle into greased muffin cups, and bake. That’s it!

The resulting “quiches” are great travelers for breakfast, lunch or snacks on the go, plus they keep well in the refrigerator for up to a week or the freezer for several months.

Real men (and women and children) do eat quiche; make these and see.

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Chickpea Flour Quiches {vegan, grain-free, gluten-free}
 
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Prep time
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Recipe by::
Recipe type: dinner, snack, lunch, breakfast
Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • Essential Batter:
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2-1/2 cups (300 grams) chickpea flour
  • 3 cups water
  • 2 teaspoons fine sea salt (use 1-1/4 tsp if using table salt)
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (or hot sauce of choice)
  • Filling:
  • 1 to 1-1/2 cups chopped lightly cooked vegetables OR finely chopped /shredded raw vegetables
  • 1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced (optional, but really good)
  • Herbs (fresh or dried) and spices of choice
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 500°F. Grease the cups of a 12-count standard muffin tin with oil.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, water, 3 tablespoons oil, salt and pepper until blended and smooth. Stir in the vegetables (I used ⅔ cup chopped roasted peppers and ¾ cup steamed kale in the photos) and garlic.
  3. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cups.
  4. Bake for 12 minutes.
  5. Crack open the oven door to release steam. Close the door and bake for 10 to 15 minutes longer, until golden brown.
  6. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool for 15 minutes. Carefully remove the quiches from the pan. Serve warm or let them cool completely before serving.
Notes
*The nutrition calculations were completed using the essential batter, not any additional vegetables.

*Store the quiche in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

*Full-Size Quiche: Pour the batter into a greased 9-inch pie plate. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1 quiche Calories: 182 Fat: 6 g Saturated fat: 0.8 g Carbohydrates: 25.3 Sugar: 4.5 g Sodium: 322 mg Fiber: 7.2 g Protein: 8 g Cholesterol: 0