Easter candy is my favorite of all the candies marketed specifically for holidays. I love the bright colors. I especially love the chocolate eggs with crispy candy shells, fruit flavored jelly beans, and larger pastel malted chocolate eggs. Next Sunday I am sure I will wind up consuming more than my fair share of sugar. I do like the candy in the moment but by the end of the day it leaves me with a headache and the general yucks that are tough to shake. This year I have a plan to balance this over indulgence. At each meal I will make extra sure to eat more protein and vegetables.
I like crustless quiches for multiple reasons. For starters they are generally very simple to put together. The choices for fillings are vast. With or without a crust, quiche can be one of those meals you keep in your back pocket to use up produce that has begun to look a little tired. Making them crustless saves time because you skip the step of preparing the crust. It also saves calories. The absence of a crust means more goodies in the quiche itself without leaving room in the " calorie budget" for the crust. Finally I like them because even the most simple quiche nestled up to a vibrant salad feels like a special meal.
If you are hosting a meal for Easter I humbly suggest you consider this approach when choosing your menu. To tempt you further in the direction of protein an d vegetables I have put together two delicious crustless quiches. These are simple to assemble and most if not all of the cooking can be done in advance. The finished quiches are colorful enough for any Easter table and full of bright flavors. I am confident they will satisfy the desire to share a special occasion meal while leaving everyone feeling lively enough to hunt eggs, play games, and hopefully help with the dishes!
Crustless Quiche Two Ways
A light and filling savory dish that is simple to prepare and perfect for all occasions. Add many combinations of ingredients to the basic custard to create a personalized masterpiece. Quiche pairs beautifully with a colorful salad. To make the meal a little more substantial prepare these quiches in your favorite pie crust.
Prep time: 5 minutes, Cook time: 35 - 45 minutes; Yield 6 servings
Quiche Base
- 2 large eggs
- 3 large egg whites
- 1 cup buttermilk
- pinch or two of salt
Approximate nutrition per serving of quiche base: calories 49, fat 2 g, carbohydrate 2 g, fiber 0g, protein 6 g., PP = 1
Sausage, Tomato & Feta Crustless Quiche
Prep time: 20 minutes, Cook time 35 - 45 minutes; Yield 6 servings
Ingredients
- Quiche Base (see above)
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried Italian herb blend
- ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
- ½ lb lean Italian chicken sausage, fully cooked then crumbled
- ½ cup feta cheese (look for a lower or reduced fat variety)
- ½ cup sliced roma tomatoes
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Wipe the inside of a 9 ½ inch pie plate with a thin coating of olive oil. Layer the sausage crumbles and most of the feta.
- Whisk together the quiche base adding the milk, herbs, and black pepper. Pour the mixture evenly over the ingredients.
- Arrange the tomato slices around the top of the quiche pressing in slightly. Sprinkle the remaining feta over the tomatoes.
- Bake for 35 - 45 minutes until the eggs are firm. Let the finished quiche sit for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing with a sharp knife. Serve hot or cool completely, refrigerate, and serve cold.
Approximate nutrition per serving: calories 168, fat 8.8 g, carbohydrate 3.8 g, fiber .1 g, protein 15.5 g, PP = 4
Sweet Potato & Caramelized Onion
Prep time: up to 30 minutes, Cook time: 35 - 45 minutes; Yield 6 servings
Ingredients
- ⅓lb sweet potato, grated and microwaved for 4 minutes (approximately 1 cup after heating)
- salt
- 5 oz frozen spinach, thawed and water squeezed out (about 1 cup loosely packed)
- 2 yellow or sweet onions, caramelized (click for method)
- ½ cup of crumbled reduced fat blue cheese
- ¼ cup low fat milk
- 1 teaspoon dried Herbs de Provence
- ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Wipe the inside of a 9 ½ inch pie plate with a thin coating of olive oil. In the pie plate: Layer the sweet potato, a few pinches of salt, spinach, then caramelized onions. Top with the blue cheese crumbles.
- Whisk together the quiche base adding the milk, herbs, and black pepper. Pour the mixture evenly over the ingredients.
- Bake for 40 - 45 minutes until the eggs are firm. Let the finished quiche sit for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing with a sharp knife. Serve hot or cool completely, refrigerate, and serve cold.
Approximate nutrition per serving: calories 125, fat 4.2 g, carbohydrate 13.4 g, fiber 2.3 g, protein 10.6 g, PP = 3
Lisa
I made the tomato feta version. I did not have sausage, so I added a couple of crumbled pieces of bacon. I also added a few big shakes of Parmesan and onion flakes. I make quiche frequently, and I think this is my favourite receipe!
Laura Chandler
Reading your recipes makes me wonder why there ever was a crust. I am craving quiche for dinner soon.
Rose
Thanks Mom!
Lisa
I love the PP values on these.....awesome...will share at WW tomorrow night!!!!! Very Excited :)
Rose
Wonderful Lisa! I am excited that you are excited! I hope you and your WW buddies enjoy them :)
redharparts
Just saw you on New Day NW. Great segment. I'll try this recipe and explore your blog further for more!
Rose
Welcome! Thank you so much for watching! I hope you find somethings here to try :)
Jill
Love this idea, I hope to add goodies and not miss the crust and cut out calories .
Rose
Get creative and enjoy :)