With as much as 500 calories and 30 grams of fat in one slice, it’s no wonder I have had many requests over the years for a healthy, but of course still rich-tasting quiche. To meet this challenge I tested more variations of “healthy” quiches than I could count, and none quite satisfied until I hit upon an unlikely ingredient that made this recipe work: mayonnaise.
Believe me, when I first saw the idea, I was just as surprised as you, but mayonnaise amazingly lends a creamy texture and binds the eggs and cheese beautifully with far less fat than half-and-half or cream. Add to that the smoky flavor of quiche Lorraine and the veggie goodness of quiche Florentine and you have a quiche that has it all!
For a quick, easy, and tasty pre-made crust, roll out one sheet of Pillsbury refrigerated pie dough and place it into your prettiest pie plate.
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients
1 (8-inch) frozen pie crust 1 sheet pre-made pie dough (like Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust)
1/3 cup minced onion
4 large eggs
4 large egg whites (or ½ cup liquid egg substitute)
1/3 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
1 cup low-fat milk
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon liquid smoke
1 (10-ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup shredded reduced-fat Swiss cheese
Instructions
1. Pre-heat the oven to 425°F. Place dough into pie pan if needed, and using a fork, pierce pie crust all over its surface. Bake pie crust for 5 minutes. Remove from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
2. Place onion in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together 2 whole eggs and mayonnaise until thoroughly blended (be sure this is smooth before adding the additional eggs and milk). Whisk in remaining eggs, egg whites, milk, and spices. Stir in spinach and cheese and mix until thoroughly combined. Pour into pie crust and bake for 45 minutes or until the center feels firm to the touch.
CRUSTLESS QUICHE CUPS: Ladle 1/2 cup of quiche mixture into eight 6-ounce baking ramekins that have been lightly sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and place them on a baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 35 to 40 minutes. Each cup has 120 calories with 7 grams of fat, 5 grams of carbohydrate, and 10 grams of protein. Weight watcher smart point comparison = 2
Nutrition Information Per Serving: Calories 220 | Carbohydrate 13g (Sugars 3g) | Total Fat 13g (Sat Fat 4.5g) | Protein 11g | Fiber 1g | Cholesterol 135mg | Sodium 320mg | Food Exchanges: 1 1/2 Medium-Fat Meat, 1 Starch, 2 Fat Carbohydrate Choices 1 | Weight Watcher Smart Point Comparison: green 5, blue 5, purple 5
