Ask Roni - Light Quiche
Posted in: Ask Roni Q&A |
Roni,
I am looking for a light version of quiche to try to use up my leftover ham and asparagus from Easter. Any ideas or can you point me in the right direction? There has to be a way to make quiche a healthier dish.
Michele
Hi Michele!
Funny you should ask that! A few months ago I accepted a challenge from my online buddy, Joyce. After mentioning I wasn’t a quiche fan, she challenged me to make her famous quiche recipe. So I accepted her challenge!
I have to admit, I’m still not a big quiche fan. I never have been. However, I can see how a quiche lover who’s looking to lighten up the dish would love this idea!
So I share with you… (I hope it’s not too late for your Easter ham! Sorry it took me so long to respond.)
Joyce’s Light Bacon & Veggie Quiche
- 1/8 tsp table salt, a dash, to taste preference
- 1 cup mushroom(s), rough chop
- 1 cup bell pepper(s), chopped, red, yellow, orange or mixed
- 2 Tbsp whole-grain wheat flour, divided
- 1 sprays cooking spray
- 1 cup Spanish onion, diced
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper, a dash, to taste preference
- 1 1/2 cup Land O Lakes Fat-free Gourmet Half & Half
- 2 serving Frozen hash browns, defrosted (2 cups)
- 1 serving Canadian Bacon, diced (4 slices)
- 4 serving Sargento, reduced fat, 4-cheese Mexican, (1 cup)
- 1 large egg(s)
- 3 items egg white(s)
Dice onion, peppers, mushrooms (or any veggies you prefer). Cube 4 slices of Canadian bacon (purchase bacon with NI = 1 point for 4 slices).
In a sauté pan sprayed lightly with cooking spray, sauté diced onions, peppers and mushrooms until onions are translucent and peppers are just soft.
Defrost 2 cups of store-brand frozen shredded hash browns (make sure NI = 70/0/2 or 1 point per cup). You can defrost by microwaving for a minute, or just until no longer frozen and soft enough to pat into a crust.
In a quiche pan (usually 9-in, straight-sided, ceramic-type) that has been lightly sprayed with non-stick spray and lightly floured (about 1 tb - reserve any "left-over"), press hash browns into bottom and up sides to form a "crust".
Sprinkle 3/4 of the cheese on the crust. Sprinkle the remaining flour over the cheese. Evenly cover with the sautéed vegetables and Canadian bacon.
In a bowl, beat the egg & egg whites (or egg substitute) and FF Half & Half. Slowly pour the mixture in the quiche pan.
Top with the remaining cheese. Season with Cayenne pepper, or seasoning of choice.
Bake in oven preheated to 425 for 15 minutes.
Reduce heat to 325, and bake for 50-55 minutes, until knife in center comes out clean.
Allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.
Makes 8 servings - 3 WWPs each.
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I feel dumb, but what does “purchase bacon with NI” mean?
Sorry! I left in all us WW geek shorthands! LOL
NI stands for Nutritional Information. So Joyce is just making sure the bacon you use is the thin sliced that’s under 60 cals for 3 slices.
Never feel dumb! Ask away!
I too make a lighter quiche when I have leftovers. But to make things easier I use a store bought pie crust with the lowest amount of calories (normally store brand). I mix up 1/2 cup of fat free sour creme, you need a total of 6 eggs (of which I use mostly eggwhites) and 1/2 cup of skim milk (or 2%). Bake the crust as directed. Use whatever kind of light cheese you like and sprinkle on the bottom of the crust. Add filling and pour mixture on top. Add a little more cheese if you’d like. And bake at 350 degrees for approx. 45-50 minutes. Note: You can season up the mixture of sour creme, milk and eggs however you’d like. This mixture makes TWO quiches. I bake both and freeze one for another dinner during the week. Try different varieties such as southwest chicken. Low-fat swiss would be awesome with your leftover ham and asparagus.
Forgot to mention. My quiches normally come to approx. 4 points per 1/4 of the pie. However, I am a vegetarian so I don’t add the meat.
Thanks Roni!
The recipe looks spot on.
On tip that neglected to mention: I spray my hands with non-stick cooking spray when forming the potato crust.
One main reason I came up with this version of a quiche that my Franco family can’t get enough of is because ANY crust that is flour based will have more calories and fat than I care to eat right now.
So I find it impossible to believe that any store-bought, flour-based crust is going to have better NI (Nutritional Info) then a straight vegetarian, shredded potato crust. When you compare the calories per gram of even the lightest store-bought crust to calories per gram of plain potato, well, there IS no comparrison.
Sorry Kate, I just don’t believe that even a “light” traditional crust will have NI making it possible for 1/4 of a quiche to have 4 points.
Also, on the Core Plan, traditional crusts are out.
I had to think of a way to create a crust with foods on the Core list. Shredded Potato won. (Fellow Core-ites: count 1 pt for using Reduced-fat cheese instead of FF. You do not have to count the sprinkled whole wheat flour. There’s not enough to count.)
If there are any vegans out there, you can use egg substitute instead of the 1 whole egg and 3 egg whites. Just use 3/4 cup, or the equivalent of 3 eggs.
The points will go down for that substitution.
1 slice, or 1/8 of the quiche, will be 2 pts.
2 slices, or 1/4 of the quiche, will be 5 pts.
(2 slices of the first version is also 5 pts. Don’t ask me why. I know that 1 slice is 3 pts, so how can 2 be 5? That’s WW math for you!)
Happy baking everyone!
~Joy
Sorry Joy! Didnt mean to put you into an uproar over your recipe. I was merely suggesting an alternate, less time consuming recipe for Michele to look at, and in no way was I trying to demean yours.
Just to clear things up, It totaly depends on what you put in your quiche to how many points it is going to be, this exactly the reason I stated an approximate amount of points as to which mine normally amounts to.
Thanks!
Wow, hash browns as a quiche crust? That is brilliant! I’m not a huge quiche fan but this sounds really good!
I have a really good Small Quiche Bites recipe.
1 pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thaw and squeeze dry
3/4 c. egg substitue
3/4 c. grated cheese (non or low fat)
1/4 c. diced peppers
1/4 c. diced green onion
Tobasco to taste
spray muffin tins with non stick spray
350
regular size muffins……..20 min
small mini muffins………14 min