By Doula Jen

Quiche is another fantastic postpartum meal.  Versatile, seemingly decadent but surprisingly simple, energy packed, comfort food.

In my doula work, I always make sure that my client’s meals and snacks include at least one solid source of protein.  Eggs fit the bill and are also a superfood, containing essential amino acids and one of the only naturally occurring sources of vitamin D.

It’s a great idea to familiarize yourself with a basic quiche batter.  Then, you can choose your additional flavors and textures at whim—depending on your mood or what you find lurking at the bottom of your vegetable drawer.  You can use your favorite pie crust recipe (going light on the sugar for this savory treat), buy frozen (for the health conscious, most local co-ops have an organic spelt flour pre-made crust), or go crustless.

Most quiche recipes contain cheese.  I’ve found that cheddar, havarti, swiss, and simple goat cheese work best.  Other favorite ingredients include asparagus, spinach, broccoli, mushroom, tomato, caramelized onion, green apple, red bell pepper, ham, bacon, chicken, and sausage.  Once you familiarize yourself with the basics, you can play around with different combinations.

The basic egg batter contains:

• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup milk, half and half, or heavy cream
• 3 Tbsp all purpose flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• pepper to taste

You will always whisk those ingredients together and pour them over a crust or dish lined with your veggies, meats, and cheeses.  Bake for 10 minutes at 375° and then reduce heat to 300° for the remainder (about 20 minutes or until center is set).  Quiche should be relatively firm and golden brown when done.

I love this for postpartum families because it easy to stop the prep work to tend to a waking babe.  Once “built,” you just throw the pie in the oven.  I often double the recipe and make two, maximizing the result of my labor.  Quiche is great leftover and freezes nicely for future use.