Quiche is such a versatile and filling dish.  It’s packed with nutrition and the star ingredients, eggs, have some bragging rights as well.  There was a time that eggs were shunned and thought not to be so healthy for us.  The logic was that since they are high in cholesterol (213 mg/large egg), that eggs are big culprits for heart disease.  After a 25 year study, it was found that saturated fats in foods were the main culprit for high cholesterol in the blood, thus linked to cardiovascular disease.  Dairy products high in fat and fatty meats are examples of foods that can trigger the production of cholesterol in the body.  As of 2000, the AHA (American Heart Association) has revised its dietary guidelines so that an egg a day is fine and a cholesterol limit of 300mg/day is currently recommended.

Why are eggs good for us🍳:

Eggs contain Lutein and Zeaxanthin which are powerful disease fighting nutrients and antioxidants.  They are a great source of protein (7 grams), 75 calories and 340 grams of carbs.  Of the 5 grams of fat, they only contain 1.6 grams of saturated fat.  The choline content is good for our brains and the carotenoids that they contain may reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration.  In addition, eggs contain Vitamin A, Folate, Iron, Calcium, Zinc, Vitamins D, B5, B12, B2, Phosphorus and Selenium (and Omega-3 if you use pastured or Omega-3 enriched eggs).  Eggs have also been found to increase HDL (good cholesterol).

Keep in mind that we still must not go overboard as with any food.  In about 30% of people who have been found to be “hyper-responders”, eggs can cause high LDL (bad cholesterol) and higher total cholesterol levels but in the majority of people, eggs have no impact at all on blood cholesterol.

Quick & Easy Broccoli & Mushroom Quiche Recipe

First the Crust

You can either buy it or make it yourself.  This recipe may look overwhelming, but trust me, it’s not that bad.  If you are making it yourself, here is a very quick rule to remember.  As a rule of thumb, use 3 parts flour, 2 parts butter and 1 part water.  More exact amounts are as follows:

• 8 ounces/1 cup of butter (cold)
• 2&1/2 cups of self-rising flour
• 1 teaspoon of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of butter
• 6-8 tablespoons of ice cold water

Add dry ingredients into food processor then pulse a few times.  Add half of your butter to the food processor and pulse 6-8 times.  Add the rest of the butter and pulse again 6-8 times.  Sprinkle in about 2 tablespoons of the cold water and pulse again.  Continue adding the cold water a tablespoon at a time and pulse after each addition.  Do a pinch test of the crust mixture to see if it holds together and when it does, it’s mixed thoroughly enough.  Take the mixture out and put it on a flat surface and begin to flatten it with the palm of your hand.  Work it into a ball.  Don’t over work the dough or it will be tough.  You will see the small pieces of butter in your dough and this is good for a flaky crust.

Once you have formed a ball, divide the dough into 2 and lightly flour it.  Wrap the pieces in plastic and refrigerate at least an hour.  After an hour, take it out and let it sit at room temp for about 10 minutes to let it soften.  This will make it easier to roll out.  Roll the dough with a rolling pin into the shape of your pan.  Roll it onto the pin and quickly transfer it by unrolling it into your pan.  Be careful to fit the dough into the corners of the pan.  Cut away any edges that hang over the pan.

Use parchment, wax paper or foil and lay on top of the dough then add dry rice or beans filling the pan 2/3 of the way.  Bake at 350 degrees F/175 degrees C for 20 minutes.  Take out and  poke wholes in the bottom of the crust and after cooling a few minutes return it but without the dry rice/beans.  Let it bake another 10 minutes.  Take it out and let it cool completely.

Filling

Saute any veggies that you want for your quiche.  My favorites include broccoli in combination with mushrooms, red bell pepper, red onion, fresh garlic and a very small amount of your choice of cheese (optional).  Lightly salt and pepper to taste and add 1/2 teaspoon of cumin and sweet paprika.  A dash of cheyenee will spice it up a bit!  Saute all veggies over medium heat in a few tablespoons of olive or sunflower oil until onions and red bell peppers are beginning to carmelize, being careful to stir every so often to prevent sticking.

At the same time, you can mix your eggs for the quiche.  For my family of 6, I use about 7 eggs, beaten in a medium size bowl, about 1/2 cup of flour added slowly while mixing, about 1/4 cup of milk (almond is great to add more nutrients and keep saturated fats at a low) and a pinch each of salt, pepper, cumin, and garlic powder.  I love to add a small amount of thyme as well.

Putting it all together

Take your crust in your pan and place your veggies in it, being careful to drain off any liquid.  Now is the time to add low fat cheese or if you use your favorite cheese that is high in fat, use very little (1/2 cup or less).  Now add your egg mixture over the veggies and cheese.  Bake at 350 F/175 C for about 30 minutes.  Oven times and settings will vary so watch closely and check it after about 15 minutes.  It should be firm but not hard or runny.

Hope you enjoy and by the way, don’t feel guilty about the butter.  Remember, this amount is spread over the entire pan and in my opinion, if you’re gonna make your crust, there’s nothing like real butter!  Enjoy your quiche for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  Serve at room temp or even cold.

So if you liked the info on eggs or the recipe, comment back and or like.  Always love to have the feedback!