*SPINACH QUICHE* (GF)

I did mention that sometimes I will share a recipe on my blog. Here is one from Splendid Low-Carbing for Life (Vol-1). This recipe is actually not completely my own, but a recipe from my mother-in-law Kay Eloff, slightly adapted to make it lower in carbohydrates. She lives with her husband of over 50 years, “oupa”, a retired medical doctor, in sunny South Africa, at the southern most tip of the continent of Africa. Cape Town is a beautiful city if anyone is thinking of visiting South Africa. It is also one of the safer places to visit in the country which is considered rather dangerous to visit due to violence. It is wise to hook up with South Africans who know the safe places to visit. I grew up in South Africa, as did my husband, but we left as young adults soon after we were married and we lived for almost 30 years in the great white north – Canada! Now we live in a tropical country. I was unaware of the problems in the country as we were pretty much kept in the dark by the government and we did not have TV until the year I was graduating from high school, in 1974. I always say I went to Canada to learn about South Africa.

Anyway, I could write a book if I keep going, so here is the recipe! It is good company fare as well, making an awesome lunch accompanied by a nice salad. There is a fair amount of sodium in this recipe from the cheeses, so don’t be weighing for a couple of days.

SPINACH QUICHE

Crust:
½ cup ground almonds
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp vital wheat gluten, OR any flour
3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 egg yolk

Filling:
6 bacon slices
1 whole large leek, cut thin diagonally
1, 10 oz package frozen spinach
8 oz light cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
5 extra-large eggs, beaten
4 oz feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Crust: In medium bowl, combine ground almonds, grated Parmesan cheese, vital wheat gluten, melted butter and egg yolk. Press into 9-inch (23 cm) springform pan. Bake in 350ºC (180ºC) oven 10 minutes.

Filling: In large skillet, cook bacon until just before it gets crisp. Set aside to drain on paper towels. In some bacon fat, cook leeks over medium heat until soft. Squeeze liquid out of spinach and add to leeks along with bacon. In food processor or in bowl with electric mixter, process cream cheese. Add sour cream; process. Add eggs one at a time, while processing, until smooth. Stir in feta cheese and half Parmesan cheese. Pour mixture over vegetables and bacon; stir to combine well. Pour over prepared crust.

Bake in 350ºC (180ºC) oven 50 minutes, or until set. Allow to stand 10 minutes before cutting. Sprinkle remaining Parmesan cheese over top.

Nutritional Analysis: 10 servings
311.1 calories, 17.1 g protein, 24.3 g fat, 5.6 g carbs