Bacon & Asparagus Quiche with Sweet Potato Crust | PALEO, Whole30, Keto

Hosting friends or family for brunch?  Looking to step up your weekly breakfast prep game?  I've got you covered with this creamy, savory quiche!

It's packed with asparagus & bacon for some seasonal flair, and layered into an easy sweet potato "crust" that includes the following ingredients:  ... sweet potato!

This breakfast is one of those that looks (and tastes) a whole lot fancier than it is.  It is so easy to make!

The difference between a quiche and any old frittata or "breakfast bake" you ask?

Let's break it down!

Typical breakfast casserole:

• mix-ins like sausage, potatoes, veggies
• heavy on the eggs, little to no milk or cream
• eggs cook completely in the oven

Frittata:

• whatever mix-ins you like, usually heavy on the veggies
• heavy on the eggs, little to no milk or cream
• eggs start cooking on the stovetop, then finish under the broiler in the oven!

QUICHE:

• mix-ins like meats & veggies
• much higher cream:egg ratio - you're making more of a custard here!
• typically has a crust
• creamy custard bakes in the oven

Does this help?  Am I the only one who thinks about these things?  ha!  I see the words used interchangeably often (and I will admit I often use frittata / breakfast casserole to describe the same thing) but there is an actual difference, who woulda thunk!

Anyway, I'm team breakfast casserole most of the time because they're just so dang easy and convenient.  Throw in a dozen eggs with whatever veggies/meats/roasted up leftovers you have on hand and call it good.

But there's something about a creamy, fluffy quiche that brings some excitement back!

Get fancy, and make this for yourself!  It's just as easy, I promise!  See links in the ingredients below for the milk I use for Whole30 (and all of the time, really).  Cashew milk, a rich almond milk, or half & half would be equally amazing depending on your preferences!

And as always - use this as a guide, but feel free to change up your mix-ins!  Just don't forget the nutmeg.  It's an old high school culinary class trick I learned and will never forget - it adds the most perfect flavor when you're making any sort of "creamy" dish!

Ingredients:

• 2 small to medium sweet potatoes, peeled
• 1 Tbsp cooking fat (I like avocado oil or bacon fat), plus more for greasing
• 1 cup asparagus (about 18 spears), chopped into bite sized pieces 
• 8 to 10 slices bacon, fully cooked* & chopped
• salt & pepper, to taste
• 8 eggs
• 1 cup coconut milk (I like this one)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp Everything Bagel Seasoning
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg 
• flat leaf parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.  Grease a 9" round baking dish with extra olive oil or ghee.
2. Using a food processor with a grater attachment OR a hand grater, shred the sweet potatoes into "hash browns".  Season with salt & pepper, then transfer the grated sweet potato to the greased baking dish.  Press evenly into the bottom of the dish and up the sides.
3. Bake the sweet potato "crust" for 20 minutes or until tender.  
4. While the crust bakes, work on the filling.
5. Heat the cooking fat in a skillet over medium heat.  Add the asparagus and sauté until tender crisp, about 6 to 8 minutes.  Stir in the chopped bacon.
6. In a large bowl, lightly whisk the eggs.  Add the coconut milk, and spices, and some salt & pepper to taste, and whisk until smooth.
7. Spread the bacon & asparagus mixture over top of the par-baked sweet potato crust, then pour the egg mixture over top.
8. Transfer to the oven and bake for 35 minutes, or until the center jiggles very slightly.  Cool to room temperature before serving, allowing it to fully set.

*Notes:

• If using raw bacon, cut into small pieces then pan fry until cooked through.  Use about 1 Tbsp of the rendered bacon fat to cook the asparagus.
• I drizzled this with a little Primal Kitchen ranch (whole30 compliant!) for the look and fell in love with the flavor it adds.  Highly recommend!
• Doing keto & want to lower the carbs?  Omit the sweet potato crust!  Easy peasy, just grease your baking dish well so the eggs don't stick, and you've got a "crustless quiche".