A Cooler Quiche

I must have ordered a custardy quiche at least once when I was a young veg. Quiche, lentil loaf, sprouts, carob almonds from a bin, and fresh squeezed carrot juice were the kind of foods I could find in a Venice, California hippie store in the late 70's early 80's.
I know I had a dog eared copy of Molly Katzen's Moosewood Cookbook which featured a Swiss and mushroom quiche. I bought Molly's follow up book the Enchanted Broccoli Forest and that had a spinach and broccoli quiche in it's contents. I don't remember making either quiche. I do remember an ex-fiance creating a cheezy eggy delight he paired with a green goddess salad and served up with too many bottles of wine. Years later a kind boyfriend's mom cooked a veg version of her quiche Lorraine just for me. Still I don't remember ordering or particularly caring if a quiche was part of my culinary arsenal or not. Truth be told, I appreciated everyone's efforts but quiche reminded me a little of dust.

I had one spelt pie crust left from the pie shell two pack, (sounds like a rapper), after I used one for the apple pie ice creme fiasco. As you know I eventually triumphed. You can read about the victory here. I just so happened to have all the ingredients on hand for a quiche from Isa Chandra Moskowitz's Vegan Brunch. If Isa thought a quiche was cool, then what the heck.

Based on Isa's Classic Broccoli Quiche

canola spray
1 medium onion finely chopped
3 garlic cloves minced
3 C broccoli finely chopped
1 tsp thyme
TJ's 24 salute spice
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 C raw cashews
1 lb extra firm tofu
3 tsp mustard
2 vine ripened tomatoes
9 inch pie crust

 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Poke bottom of pie shell with fork about 5 times to prevent it to puffing up. Bake for ten minutes. Preheat skillet and spray. Saute onion and garlic for a bout 3 minutes, add broccoli and seasonings and cook for about ten minutes until soft. Add water if it gets dry.

Meanwhile in food processor pulse cashew into fine crumbs, give tofu a squeeze to remove some excess water and crumble into food processor with the mustard. Process until relatively smooth. When the broccoli is done cooking add one cup to food processor and pulse to combine. Transfer cashew mix to mixing bowl and add remainder of broccoli mixture and combine. Taste for salt. Use a spatula to get everything into the crust and smooth top. Place tomatoes around pie and bake for about 40 minutes until edges of the crust are slightly brown. Let sit for twenty minutes before digging in.

As you can see I did not cook the tomatoes and still it was quite good and not at all dusty.

Love and quiches, (so 80's I know).

GiGi

A Tale of One Ice Cream

You probably know by now that GiGi and her vegan ice cream maker didn't have much fun together during the month of October. In fact GiGi and her vegan ice cream maker were always at odds!

Sometimes GiGi was eleven, sometimes the vegan ice cream maker was 17, sometimes GiGi was 15, sometimes the vegan ice cream maker was 31. GiGi and her vegan ice cream maker never met on even ground.

GiGi and her vegan ice cream maker even disagreed about the basics.

Back and forth. Back forth. They'd yell! Almond! Rice! Almond! Rice! Almond! GiGi would get so upset she would scream, "That's enough! You know what happened to Frosty the snowman don't you? That's right just a puddle and a carrot for a nose. Don't push my buttons, Frosty!" Yes GiGi and her vegan ice cream maker bickered and they even arm wrestled!

GiGi wins match 3002!

Come November neither GiGi nor her vegan ice cream maker felt good about their relationship. Vegans shouldn't act this way. So GiGi and her vegan ice cream maker decided to meditate for their higher good.

The vegan ice cream maker opened his eyes and peeked during meditation.

And then GiGi has a divine frozen dessert moment, where she is given the answers.


GiGi and her now vegan ice cream maker friend are ecstatic about GiGi's inspiration. They are now convinced that their vegan ice cream will take over the world, (but where has GiGi heard that before...take over the world?). GiGi and her vegan ice cream maker pal must make this new recipe right away, but first GiGi has to look up this cranberry recipe from Veganomicon  she has remembered in meditation. "I'll be with you in a minute, little buddy...hey bet we can make nutty buddies too bahaha :)"

GiGi opens Veganomicon to turn to the cranberry thingy and then she sees it. OMFG! Right there in front of GiGi is a recipe, but not just any recipe and not the cranberry thingy recipe either, but GiGi's divinely inspired frozen dessert recipe. It's right there in Isa and Hope's freaking book. Did Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero the two wunderkinds of the vegan cooking world think of this recipe first? or did GiGi? or more likely did Isa and Hope invade and take over GiGi's brain??? Just like they said they would?!!! Please watch below reenactment.

Well after I run around the block and exorcise the those two ^^^, I will claim this recipe as all mine...MINE! MINE! (I'm very sorry my lawyer just phoned and I have to say it's partly their recipe, damn them)

The Recipe
This works better if all your ingredients are cold.

About 8oz silken tofu drained
1/2 C creme of coconut  milk (Isa and Terry say)  Place can in frig over night and scoop 1/2 C off top
3/4 C almond milk
3/4 C agave
1 banana (peeled of course)
3/4 C Almond butter
1 tsp almond flavoring

Add to food processor or blender and blend well. Pour into ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer's directions.

O, woe is me; To have seen what I have seen, see what I see! - from Shakes and Vegan Hamlet 
I bid you g'night.
xo
music and direction by
Sir Larry  AKA Psycho Boy