I don’t know about you, but any chance I can sneak in some vegetables, I do it! This quiche is crazy delicious, and my son can’t get enough of it. It’s packed with good stuff, and it can be modified to fit nearly any dietary restrictions.

I’ve made this particular dish many many times, and I’ve always used a store-bought pie crust. This time, I decided to make a gluten-free crust. Full disclosure…. the store-bought version is better. I’m not a pro baker, but I can only improve by continuing to try! This recipe is great for making ahead. Make a full quiche, cut it into slices, and wrapping the slices in foil. Then, in the morning, toss a slice into the oven for about 10 minutes to warm up! Serve with fresh fruit, and you’ve got a great, well-balanced breakfast.

When I made this quiche, I rolled out a pie crust and cooked some bacon for it. Bacon takes 10-15 minutes, and the crust took some extra time. If you cut out those two steps (or cook the bacon ahead of time), you can finish this in about 1 hour total. Of that time, around 15 minutes are hands-on.

I used a 9-inch pie pan, but I’ve used a larger baking dish and included more eggs. Depending on the size of your pan, you can modify the amount of filling you want to use.

Below the recipe, I’ve included modifications, primarily for allergens.

SPINACH AND LEEK QUICHE
Makes 6 slices, Good 6 months and up (pending egg allergy), Total time: 1 hour, Hands-on time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 slices bacon (optional – omit to save time, or if you’re worried about the sodium)
• 1 leek (or 1/2 onion)
• 2 cups baby spinach (several handfuls)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6-8 eggs (depending on size of dish!)
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1 cup shredded cheese of choice
• 1 pie crust

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Cut the bacon into small pieces and cook in a skillet until crispy.
3. While the bacon cooks, cut the white and light green parts of the leek. I quarter it, then slice it. Chop it as small as you would like.
4. Chop the spinach loosely.
5. Remove from the skillet, drain the grease, and wipe out the pan (don’t clean it, though).
6. Cook the leek on medium, until tender.
7. Add the spinach and cook until it wilts (1-2 minutes).
8. In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs, salt, milk, and cheese.
9. To the bowl, add the bacon, leek, and spinach.
10. Place the crust into your pie pan or baking dish. Prep the crust. NOTE: It’s very important to prepare the crust! You can do this two ways. You can pierce it with a fork before cooking it. Or you can place wax paper (use the paper that comes with the package!) inside the crust and dump dry rice inside the empty crust. That weighs it down.
11. Bake the pie crust for 12 minutes. 
12. Lower the temperature to 375 degrees F.
13. Pour the egg mixture inside of the crust.
14. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until a fork comes out cleanly. NOTE: You don’t have to wait for the oven to get down to 375. 

Modifications

• Instead of whole milk, use unsweetened coconut or almond milk.
• You can omit the cheese entirely, or use a non-dairy cheese (like Daiya).
• Make or buy a gluten-free crust.
• Make a frittata instead! Add an extra 1/4 cup of milk, and pour the egg mixture straight into a greased baking dish and bake it for 30-40 minutes.