Spinach and Goat Cheese Quiche with Sweet Potato Crust

Earlier this year, I challenged myself to go gluten free for a month. As you regular readers know, I'm not one who feels gluten is the root cause of our ills, nor do I think it's bad for most people. I don't have any major signs of celiac disease or gluten intolerance. So why would I voluntarily subject myself to a month without pizza?

A couple of reasons. As a dietitian who works with many people diagnosed with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, I wanted to gain a better understanding of what it's like to live gluten free. Also, I was curious. Symptoms of food sensitivities are often mild and nonspecific. Would I feel different? Maybe...or maybe not. I would never know without trying. But mainly I did it because I thought it would be easy. Afterall, eating such a varied diet, more than half the meals we eat just happen to be gluten free, so it wouldn't be that difficult, right??

Wrong. 

I've told clients a million times that gluten is everywhere, so I have no idea why it came as such a surprise to me. I suppose I thought because we purchase mostly unprocessed foods, it wouldn't be difficult to avoid. I had to get new soy sauce, spent at least 15 minutes to find healthy, gluten free frozen meal, and about the same amount of time trying to find a whole grain, gluten free cracker. Why is it so difficult to make a brown rice cracker without lots of other junk in it? Gah! Going out to eat was a chore. There were many times I was stuck ordering something less healthy and not as appetizing as what I wanted simply because it was gluten free. 

Also, beer contains gluten. Should have thought that one through. 

So what were my results? I didn’t notice a difference in my energy, mental clarity, digestion or really anything at all that month. It wasn't until the day or two after I added it back in that my skin broke out like I was thirteen and my gastric reflux started acting up after a year long hiatus. Was it the gluten? Most likely no. About the same time, I made the decision to go into private practice, a decision that caused me quite a few restless, anxious nights. The temperature in South Carolina was fluctuating between Florida and Alaska. Also, I fell asleep one night with my makeup on. That's the problem with self experimentation - there's too many variables. 

Still, I'll probably try it again at some point. Actually, now is probably a good time since we're already cutting back on fancy beers and going out to eat to save money. If I do, I'll report back on the outcome. 

During my gluten free month, I made a conscious decision to remake typically gluten-full meals as gluten free and learn some tricks to share with my clients. Some were successful (homemade fig newtons, chocolate chip cookies), others, not so much (gluten free pizza). One of my favorite discoveries was this gluten free quiche, using sliced sweet potatoes for a crust. We make quiche pretty frequently using crusts by Wholly Wholesome, veggies and leftover cheese. To make a gluten free quiche I could have just made a frittata, but frankly, the crust is my favorite part!

The trick here is thinly and evenly slicing the potatoes, which allows them to cook evenly without burning and helps them get a little bit crispy. If you don't have a mandoline slicer, I suggest you add one to your kitchen arsenal. Mine is fairly large, so if you don't have much storage space, they make plenty of smaller ones that will fit into any overstuffed drawer. I love them for slicing vegetables evenly, a skill I have not yet developed and for quickly julienning vegetables without a headache.

Spinach and Goat Cheese Quiche with Sweet Potato Crust

Serves 6
Adapted from Sprouted Kitchen Cookbook

8 eggs
1/2 cup organic, whole milk or unsweetened almond milk
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 small sweet potatoes, thinly sliced with a mandoline 
2 green onions, thinly sliced
6 ounce bag baby spinach
1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese
Chopped fresh cilantro
Hot sauce (optional)

Place the rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. Whisk in the cumin and season with salt and pepper.

Heat the coconut oil in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet on medium-high heat. Cook, flipping occasionally, until cooked through, browned and a little bit crispy, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle the green onions over the potatoes, then top with the spinach. Cover with the lid or a cookie sheet to wilt the spinach, about 1 minute.

Reduce the heat to medium and pour the eggs over the spinach and potatoes. Cook until mostly set around the edges. Sprinkle the goat cheese evenly over the top. Place the quiche in the oven to finish cooking for about 5 minutes.

Remove from oven when the eggs are set. Let sit for 5-10 minutes before slicing. When ready to serve, garnish with cilantro and hot sauce and slice into sixths.