Sun Dried Tomato, Bacon, Feta, & Spinach Low Carb Quiche

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Sun Dried Tomato, Feta Cheese, Spinach, & Bacon Quiche with Low Carb Almond Meal Crust

Almond Meal Crust:
*1-1/2 C Almond Meal or Almond Flour
3 Tbsp Ice Water
4 tsp Olive Oil

*Tip almond meal (w/skins) and almond flour (blanched/skins removed) can be interchanged. You can make your own almond meal by grinding almonds in a food processor or coffee grinder. Make sure you don't grind the almonds too long or you will end up with almond butter. Grind the almonds in steps using a sifter to sift out the flour and returning the larger bits to the grinder.  If you purchase almond meal/flour, I recommend buying it in bulk from Whole Foods/Central Market/Sun Harvest/ect because the per pound cost is generally cheaper. Always store in an airtight container because ground almonds can become rancid.

Mix almond meal/flour and salt.  Above picture is almond flour purchased from Sun Harvest.  Beat olive oil and water and add to almond meal/flour.  Mix until a dough forms.  Add more water or almond meal/flour as required to form a dough ball that is not too dry and not too sticky. 

Spread into a 9" greased pie plate.  Dip your fingers in ice water to keep them from sticking when pressing out your crust. 

Cousins (Merlin & Bailey)

Warning, you likely won't have alot of help during this phase of the project. I caught my helpers sleeping on the job. "Lazy Bums"!!!! Just wait, when this comes out of the oven everyone will be begging.

I recommend covering the edges of the pie with pie covers or just aluminum foil to prevent the edges from burning or getting too dark.  You must exhibit lots of patience if you use aluminum foil, otherwise you will end up very angry because they tend to fall off while placing in the oven.

Bake @350 for 15 to 20 minutes or until it starts to brown.  While the crust is baking work on the filling.

Quiche Filling:
5 Eggs
1/4 C Coconut Milk or Almond Milk
6 to 8 Sundried Tomatoes chopped
1/2 Cup Feta
1 Pkg Frozen Spinach
1 Pkg Bacon

Slice the bacon in 3/8" wide slices and fry until crispy. (If you have read the cast iron post, this would be a good time to use that skillet).  Drain the bacon on paper towels. 

Remove all but 1 Tbsp of bacon grease from the pan and add the spinach and cook until thawed.  Add the sundried tomatoes and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.  Mix in the bacon and remove from heat.  In a bowl beat the eggs with the coconut/almond milk. 

Pour the spinach mixture into the pie crust.  Add the feta cheese and use a fork to mix the cheese in a bit.  Pour the egg mixture over everything and pop in the oven.  I once again recommend using the covers for the edge.  Remove the covers with about 20 minutes remaining.

Bake quiche 40 to 50 minutes or until eggs are cooked through.  Set out to cool and try to fight off all the hungry people that will be flocking to the kitchen due to the wonderful smell.

I was skeptical of the almond meal crust, but the concensus was that the taste and texture was amazing.  Several comments were that the almond meal crust is preferred over a regular crust.  Try it for yourself.  I'm thinking of using it for a low carb dessert soon. Im open to suggestions.

"Jazzed Up" Spinach Egg Breakfast

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One of the staples of a low carb breakfast is eggs, but do you find yourself getting tired of eggs from your head to your legs? Want something besides a rEGGular breakfast? Starting to wish Humpty didn't get put back together again?

Okay, enough yolking around already.  This is a quick morning breakfast that will help jazz up those eggs a bit.  Maybe it's not "New Orleans" jazzed up, but it definatly has more Jazz than there is in Utah.

Jazzed Up Spinach Egg Breakfast

6 Eggs Beaten

1 Cup Ham Diced (or breakfast meat of choice)

1 Pkg Frozen Cut Leaf Spinach (or fresh spinach if you have some handy)

1/2 Onion Diced

Shredded Cheese

Salsa

Saute onion in a frying pan with a little butter.  Add ham and spinach.  When spinach is thawed completely and cooked through, add the eggs and stir until cooked.  Top with cheese and serve with optional salsa.



Scottish Eggs Benedict (Bugger Off With Those Bloody English Muffins)

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I decided to make traditional Eggs Benedict, but in order to make it fit into the low carb diet, I just left out the English Muffins.  I figured that since the Scottish wouldn't want anything english in their recipe, that would be a fitting name for this variation, as the pun in the title indicates.

 
Hollandaise Sauce
4 egg yolks
12 Tbsp butter (I cut the butter back a bit from the traditional recipe and it still turned out amazing.)
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Dash of cayenne pepper

Beat the yolks and lemon juice in a small saucepan.  Add the seasoning and mix. Cut the butter into small chunks and add to the mixture.  Place pan over medium heat and whisk until sauce reaches desired consistency.  If it gets too thick add a little water and whisk.

8 Eggs
4 Slices Ham (low carb)
1 tsp white vinegar

Fill a large pot with 2" of water.  Bring to a boil, then back the heat down until you get a very gentle simmer.  Add the vinegar.  Add the eggs one at a time to the water.  I recommend cracking each egg into a bowl, then carefully sliding the egg into the water.  The goal is to try to keep the egg together as it goes into the water.  Boil for 2 to 2.5 minutes or until the egg white is firm.  Remove and dry on a paper towel.  Pan fry the ham till crispy.  Top each egg with 1/2 a slice of  ham and some sauce.

Approx. 2 to 3 carbs per serving.