Asparagus Quiche and Vegan Baklava

This is a meal that I prepared last week when I was using up the last of my asparagus harvest. Now we are on to broccoli which you'll be seeing several recipes using this veggie soon as I will also be blanching and preparing it for the freezer. More on this later!

CALLING ALL REAL WOMEN....
For now I have an Asparagus Quiche to share with you. In areas north of me, you may still be able to get some fresh asparagus for quiche, but broccoli would also make a good sub. For this meal I was re-inspired when I saw Melody's (melomeals blog) tofu quiche and got a good giggle out of Kleopatra's comment ("REAL WOMEN EAT TOFU QUICHE."). I found this quiche recipe in Bryanna's Vegan Feast archives (link to her recipe below) and decided to give it a try. I made several changes, like vegan bacon bits instead of the veg canadian bacon option and I used a homemade parmesan made from english walnuts which I also sprinkled on the top of my quiche. Overall I would rank it okay, I like a firmer texture quiche like a pound of regular firm tofu would provide. This one definetely has a creamy smooth texture, good flavor, and will impress. My husband liked it, son wouldn't consider it, daughter said, "It's alright, will you leave me alone so I can eat now!"

NOTE: I have made a form of quiche several times over the years in a variety of ways. My first quiche came from the book called TOFU and SOYFOODS COOKERY by Peter Golbitz. I think of all the quiches I have made I like the one from Peter's book the best which takes firm regular tofu, but I am the only one in my family who does so I guess it's really a personal preference. An interesting note here is that Peter uses many of Bryanna's recipes and I think the quiche from that book is a variation that also came from her.

I served this meal with some fresh edible pod peas (sugar snap variety) and hummous dip (green persian style is my fav with the peas) because I had alot of them. To finish the meal I made Bryanna's ROSEWATER vegan BAKLAVA (link to the blog page this recipe is posted). Mine turned out dark because I used organic sucanat sugar, but it was tastey. We all enjoyed the baklava immensely, but then I usually sarcastically say to the family whenever they rave about fatty, sugary foods, "Yeah, yeah, yeah.... anything full of fat and sugar you love. But it doesn't love you back, so go easy on the dessert!"

My variation of BRYANNA'S VEGETARIAN ASPARAGUS QUICHE
(click to link to her recipe in the Vegan Feast Archives)
The quiche needs to be cooled at least to room temperature to be firm.
9" unbaked pie shell
1/2 lb. thin young asparagus, trimmed and sliced into 1” pieces on the diagonal, steamed tender or broiled
2 Tbsp vegan bakon bits
1/4 c. dairy-free Parmesan substitute
1/2 c. firm silken tofu (it might form up is med firm regular tofu is used)
1 "chicken-style" vegetarian bouillon cube (or enough for 1 c. liquid), crumbled
1 and 1/2 T. cornstarch plus a pinch of Spanish saffron
1/2 tsp. agar powder (or 1 T. flakes)
a pinch of pepper and nutmeg
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (or 400 degrees F for individual quiches).
Pre-bake the crust (prick all over with a fork) for 5 minutes.
Place the steamed aspargus in the crust. Sprinkle with bakon bits. Blend the remaining ingredients well in the blender and pour over veggies in the crust. Bake 10 minutes, then cover edges of pastry with strips of foil and bake 20 minutes more (or bake individual quiches at 400 degrees F for 25 minutes). The quiche needs to be cooled at least to room temperature to be firm, and keeps well, refrigerated, for a few days. You could also make mini-quiche-tarts with this mixture.

PIE CRUST
(Link to the recipe in Bryanna's Vegan Feast Recipe Archives, scroll down under PUMPKIN RECIPES, to get to a pastry crust link, double crust recipe also listed there)
This recipe makes a light and tender crust with half wholewheat flour, half the fat of ordinary pastry, and utilizes oil rather than hydrogenated fats or butter. Pure (rather than extra-virgin) olive oil makes an excellent baking fat.

1/2 c. minus 1 T. white cake or pastry flour plus 1/2 c. wholewheat flour

OR

1/2 c. minus 1 T. wholewheat pastry flour plus 1/2 c. unbleached white flour

3/8 tsp. each baking powder, sugar and salt
3 T. soy or nut milk
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk the non-dairy milk-lemon juice mixture with the oil. Quickly stir the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients and mix briefly, forming the pastry into a ball. If it's too dry, add cold water just a few drops at a time until it holds together. Don't over-mix or the pastry will be tough.