You can have this homemade quiche ready in just 25 minutes. I like to serve a warm, inviting quiche for a quick midweek supper, but don’t want to fuss with pastry dough. The secret to saving time and calories is to use bread crumbs for the crust instead. You can still slice and serve the quiche with this crust.
A tossed green salad is all you need to complete the meal.
Fred Tasker’s wine suggestion: I’d try a festive rosé sparkling wine.
Helpful hints:
• If whole wheat bread crumbs are not available, process 2 slices of whole wheat bread in the food processor to make crumbs.
• Any type of mushrooms can be used. If using meaty portobello mushrooms, bake pie 5 minutes longer as they will add more liquid to the pie.
• A casserole dish can be used instead of a pie plate.
Countdown:
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Prepare ingredients.
• Make quiche.
Shopping list:
Here are the ingredients you’ll need for tonight’s Dinner in Minutes.
To buy: 1 small container whole wheat bread crumbs, 1/2 pound reduced-sodium deli ham, 1 package shitake mushrooms, 1 red onion, 1 red bell pepper, 1 bag washed, ready-to-eat salad, 1 bottle ground nutmeg and 1 package shredded, reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese.
Staples: olive oil spray, eggs (6 needed), skim milk, reduced-fat vinaigrette dressing, salt and black peppercorns.
Ham and Wild Mushroom Quiche
By Linda Gassenheimer
10-inch shallow pie or casserole dish
Olive oil spray
1/2 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
1/2 lb. reduced-sodium deli ham, torn into bite-size pieces
1 cup sliced shitake mushrooms
1 cup sliced red onion
1 cup sliced red bell pepper
2 large eggs
4 egg whites
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 cup shredded, reduced-fat, sharp cheddar cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray bottom and sides of pie plate with olive oil spray. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over bottom and sides of plate. Roll the plate around to make sure the sides are covered with crumbs. Gently shake the plate to evenly distribute excess crumbs across the bottom.
Place the ham, mushrooms onion and red bell pepper in the pie plate. In a small bowl lightly beat the 2 whole eggs and 4 egg whites with a fork. Add the nutmeg, milk, cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Pour into the prepared pie plate. Press the ingredients under the eggs with a fork. Place in oven for 25 minutes. The pie should be firm. Leave a little longer if needed. Remove, cut in halves and serve.
Yield 2 servings
Per serving: 487 calories (25 percent from fat), 13.6 g fat (4.7 g saturated,6 g monounsaturated), 217 mg cholesterol, 48.6 g protein, 34.6 g carbohydrates, 3.6 g fiber, 1618 mg sodium.
Tossed Salad
By Linda Gassenheimer
4 cups washed, ready-to-eat salad
2 Tbsp. reduced-fat vinaigrette dressing
Place salad in a bowl and toss with dressing.
Yield 2 servings.
Per serving: 27 calories (13 percent from fat), 0.4 g fat (0.1 g saturated, 0.3 g monounsaturated), 1 mg cholesterol, 1.2 g protein, 3.8 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 12 mg sodium.
About the Author
