Swiss Chard and Caramelized Onion Quiche

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August is fast approaching it’s end, and soon enough I’ll be back at school, pouring over my textbooks and filling my brain with all sorts of new knowledge. (In all honesty though, I’m excited for school to start up again. A small part of me misses the routine of daily classes). While summer may be ending, the harvesting of the summer’s garden bounty is in full swing. My garden is overflowing with several varieties of tomatoes (I foresee lots of bruschetta and fresh salsa in my future), kale, and swiss chard.

So what’s one to do with so much swiss chard? Why, make a Swiss chard and caramelized onion quiche of course!

This swiss chard and caramelized onion quiche is filled with nothing but goodness. The sweetness of the caramelized onions pairs so nicely with the slightly bitter taste of the Swiss chard and the sharp flavour of the cheddar cheese. The quinoa flour crust also adds a nice hint of nutty flavour. And not only is this quiche heavenly fluffy, but it packs in a ton of nutrition as well.

Swiss chard is quite frankly a nutrition powerhouse. In just one cup of cooked chard you’ll get nearly 4g of fibre, over 100mg of calcium, a whopping 961mg of potassium, and 30g of vitamin C. In addition, Swiss chard is loaded with vitamin A, beta-cartonene, leutein and zeaxanthin (these two members of the carotenoid family help keep our eyeballs and vision healthy). (Bowden, 65)

Onions are also really good for us! Onions help build strong bones and inhibit the activity of the osteoclasts cells that break down the bones. In addition, onions are full of powerful antioxidants, as well as being inflammatory, antibiotic, and antiviral. (Bowden, 53)

And of course, eggs.

Eggs are the perfect protein since they contain all nine of the essential amino acids, in addition to being loaded with vitamins and nutrients that help our eyes, our brain, and our heart. Worried about the cholesterol in the egg yolk? You really don’t need to be because the essential nutrient choline found in the yolks actually helps prevent the accumulation of cholesterol and fat in the liver. So go ahead, use the whole egg. I encourage you to use organic eggs from free-range (living outside and pecking away at the ground to their hearts content) chickens. It’s even better if you’ve bought them from a small, family farm. I strongly believe organic, free-range eggs are healthier, and that this kind of farming is just better for the wellbeing of the planet on a greater scale. Whatever you do though, this quiche at least deserves whole eggs in their shells and not out of a carton.

Now let’s get back to talking about this lovely quiche.

I used both the stems and the leaves in order to get a nice variety of textures.

It’s a good thing that swiss chard shrinks so much when cooked since there would be no room for the 5 cups of chopped, fresh swiss chard that goes into this quiche! Also, a little fun fact about me: I absolutely love wilted greens. There’s just something about that soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture that makes my tastebuds so happy.

Light.

Fluffy.

Delicious.

This swiss chard and caramelized onion quiche is perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner… you name it! Not to mention that it comes together in snap, especially if you already have an unbaked pie crust on hand. Even if you don’t, my super simple quinoa flour quiche crust can easily be whipped up in no more than 3 minutes.

And there you have it: a delightfully delicious Swiss chard and caramelized onion quiche that’s perfect for enjoying around the dinner table or on the picnic blanket with family and friends. Or, you can slice up the quiche and store the pieces in freezer-safe containers for a super easy on-the-go breakfast or lunch that just needs to be reheated.

Quote of the post:

“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is.”

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Swiss Chard and Caramelized Onion Quiche

This quiche is filled with nothing but goodness. The sweetness of the caramelized onions pairs so nicely with the slightly bitter taste of the Swiss chard and the sharp flavour of the cheddar cheese. The quinoa flour crust also adds a nice hint of nutty flavour. And not only is this quiche heavenly fluffy, but it packs in a ton of nutrition as well.

Course Brunch, Quiche

Cuisine gluten free, Healthy

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Servings 6 - 8 servings

Author Jasmin Meere | thehappinesskitchen.com

Ingredients

• 5 cups tightly packed roughly chopped Swiss chard leaves
• 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced Swiss chard stems
• 1 medium sized yellow onion
• 1 tbsp avocado oil
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cups of whole milk
• 3/4 cups grated medium or strong cheddar cheese
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt (I used pink Himalayan for added nutritional benefits)
• 1 tsp dried thyme (or 2 tsp chopped, fresh thyme leaves)

Crust:

• 2 cups quinoa flour
• 1/2 cup avocado oil
• 1/2 cup ice cold water
• pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400° F (204° C).
2. Cut onion in half lengthwise and then into thin slices. Place onions on a dry pan over medium heat until they start to brown (about 5 minutes). Pour in 1/4 cup of water and a tbsp of avocado oil and leave the onion to caramelize, stirring and adding more water as needed. This is how I caramelize my onions, but if you have another way feel free to use your method.
3. Throughly wash the Swiss chard. Chop the leaves and slice the steams and place in a pan with 1/2 cup water. Cook at medium heat until the Swiss chard has turned dark green and is wilted. Strain off the water and let the Swiss chard cool before using a towel to squeeze out excess liquid.
4. *Skip this step if using a premade, unbaked quiche crust* Mix together quinoa flour, water, avocado oil, and a pinch of salt. Press dough into a 24 cm (9 1/2 in) pie plate.
5. Whisk together eggs, milk, grated cheese, pepper, salt, and thyme.
6. Layer caramelized onions and Swiss chard into quiche crust. Carefully top with egg mixture.
7. Place in oven on the middle rack and bake for 400°F (204° C) for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350° F (177° C) and bake for another 30 minutes.
8. Before serving, allow quiche to set and cool for 15 more minutes.

Fuhrman, Joel. “Super Foods for Super Immunity.” Super Immunity: The Essential Nutrition Guide for Boosting Your Body’s Defenses to Live Longer, Stronger, and Disease Free. New York: HarperOne, 2011. 62. Print.