Quiches are a hot favorite around our home, because they are easy for me to make, and fun for everyone to eat. And this Vegan Leek Quiche with a whole wheat crust is really healthy too, so what’s not to love? Desi, Jay and I took a short road trip to Cumberland, Maryland, this past weekend, because they have a heritage train ride there that runs through the mountains, offering gorgeous views. As always, the train was packed, mostly with adult children at heart, and it’s easy to see why. It’s not just about the amazing scenery; there’s something about trains that fascinates most of us, especially here in America where the railroad played a key role in shaping our country into what it is today. The steam engine that pulls the train is a giant, hissing, all-black locomotive straight out of the 1900s, and it’s a thrilling sight to watch it roll into the picturesque, red-brick Cumberland station that itself dates back more than a century. At the end of the ride to Frostburg, a college town famed for a haunted hotel, you can watch as a turntable flips the engine around for the journey back to Cumberland. Unfortunately for Jay (a real railroad fan if there ever was one) who was making his first trip here, the steam engine was out for repair, so our journey was made in a train pulled by an equally impressive, fire-engine-red diesel engine that chugged calmly over the curvy mountain tracks. He was jumping with joy as the conductor, wearing a black-and-gold hat, announced, “All Aboard!” We had some time to explore Cumberland the following day before making the two-hour journey home, and we found some interesting things to do, like shopping at Barkin’ Basement, a cute little thrift store on Baltimore Avenue whose proceeds go to the Alleghany County Animal Shelter. At the Baltimore Street Grill nearby, a helpful waitress helped us tailor vegan meals that were delicious and surprisingly inexpensive. On our way back, we stopped at a huge fruit and vegetable store on the first federal highway ever built in America, the National Road, which begins in Cumberland and ends in Ohio. The store is located in the shadow of the evocatively named Lover’s Leap– a craggy mountain ledge from which a heartbroken lover is said to have jumped to his death. Check to get new recipe updates by email.
I picked up tons of fruits and veggies, including leeks, because the price was way better than anything I can ever get them for back home. Back home, I couldn’t wait long before putting those jewel-green leeks in this scrumptious quiche. I love this recipe because its ingredient list is simple, and yet it delivers a ton of flavor. The only vegetable in this quiche are the leeks, and it’s rather a good idea to keep it that way because the delicate flavor of these oniony greens is mindblowing. I like adding some cashews to the recipe, because I like the creaminess they add. You can leave them out for a nut-free quiche. Let’s fire up that oven!
More savory vegan pies you might like
Mushroom Pot Pie French Onion Tart, gluten-free Tikka Masala Pot Pie Butternut Squash Farinata Vegan Sausage and Grits Quiche
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