Quiche Without Borders - My Vegan Couscous Quiche Adventures

Inspired by Ainsley Harriotts Couscous Crusted Courgette & Feta Quiche

Yesterdays Gut Health Yoga & Nutrition Workshop, Lesley Muir of Be Happy Yoga, wasn't just about yoga and education. It was a feast for the senses, ending with a high tea that had everyone talking. One of the wonderful foods we had on the menu was this vegan couscous-encrusted quiche.

I was inspired by Ainsley Harriott. I adapted it to make it vegan, and was pleasantly surprised. I loved the couscous option as a base because I do usually avoid pastry options. Pastries, unless you're making your own, are usually full of additives and so using couscous is a lovely twist. Couscous has more micronutrients than wheat, so I prefer using this. I would love to try this with some other grains.

To make it vegan, I decided to swap the eggs for silken tofu with a mixture of aquafaba (chickpea water). You can use eggs if you like but I used tofu and swapped the cheese for vegan cheese but you can use a mixture of feta - depends on why you're vegan, or your particular requirements. For some people, cows milk is a problem and because feta is typically goat and / or sheep's milk.

But I'm attaching the adapted recipe.

Ingredients

• 80g of couscous

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 1 large courgette, grated, and squeezed of excess water

• 12 tbsp of silken tofu (3 tbsp = 1egg)

• 3 tbsp of aquafaba (3 tbsp = 1 egg)

• 100ml milk

• 50g vegan grated cheese

• 10 tbsp chopped fresh herbs (parsley, mint, or coriander, or chives)

• grated zest of 1 lemon

• 80g vegan crumbled cheese

• olive oil

• salt and white pepper

Method

• Lightly grease a 20cm quiche dish and preheat oven to 200C/180C fan.

• Prepare the couscous. as per the instructions.

• Press the couscous into the bottom of the dish, using the back of a spoon to make sure it's nicely packed and into all the corners.

• Cook the onions over a medium heat in some olive oil until soft.

• Make sure the excess water has been drained or squeezed out of the courgette, I used a muslin cloth. Then add the courgette and some salt to the pan and cook until soft - probably about 4-5 minutes.

• If you're using the tofu and / or aquafaba, mix them all together with the milk.

• Add the 50g of grated cheese, herbs, zest and a good grind of pepper.

• Assembling the quiche - first spread the courgette over the couscous. Then crumble the 80g cheese over the top and then pour over the tofu mixture.

• I baked it for about 45 minutes to an hour but maybe my fan oven is a bit low. Basically bake until it's a nice golden colour and the filling looks set.

• Allow to rest and then serve.

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