Crustless Asparagus & Chicken Quiche

          I'm often looking for ways to cut back on calories & carbohydrates - two things that I usually over-consume :) So for breakfast last week, I made a crustless asparagus & chicken quiche ahead of time, and had leftovers for breakfast each day. It was satisfying & delicious and you didn't miss the crust at all. I served it will sliced fresh tomato, but you could also serve it with fresh fruit or baked beans.

Ingredients:

4 eggs

1 cup egg whites

1 cup full-fat milk or light cream (don't use skim milk or it will be watery)

2 cups cooked, cubed chicken

1 cup cooked, diced asparagus

1 small diced onion

1 cup shredded cheese (I used light mozzarella)

1 tsp ground black pepper

1/4 tsp nutmeg

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 375 F. Spray a 9" pie pan with Pam or another non-stick spray.

2) Put chicken, asparagus & onion in bottom of pie plate. Sprinkle with cheese.

3) Combine eggs, egg whites, milk, pepper & nutmeg. Pour into pie pan, mixture should come about 1/8 inch from the top. 

4) Bake in oven for approximately 45 minutes, until centre is cooked. Remove from oven and let stand about 5 minutes before serving. 

Quiche

Quiche is a staple in our household - its easy, nutritious & delicious! You can use store-bought crust instead of homemade to save time if you wish. You can alter the filling options to suit your personal taste.

Ingredients:

Pastry:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 4-6 teaspoons cold water

Quiche Filling:

6 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup cream

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 cup Swiss or Cheddar Cheese, shredded

Flavour Varieties:

1 small onion + 1 cup spinach (cooked, drained) + 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes (halved, drained)

1 small onion + 8 slices cooked bacon, crumbled + 1/2 cup chopped ham

8 pieces cooked asparagus, chopped & 1 cup cooked chicken, cubed

Directions:

1. Place flour in a large bowl. Sprinkle in the chopped butter; rub butter into the flour until it resembles bread crumbs. Stir in the grated cheese. Sprinkle water over the flour mixture, a teaspoon at a time, stirring lightly with a fork. Add just enough water to allow the dough form a ball and cleanly leave the sides of the bowl. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
2. Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Roll out dough, and place in a 9 inch pie/quiche pan. Use a fork to prick holes over the bottom of the pastry.
3. Bake crust in preheated oven for 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl beat eggs, milk, cream, pepper & nutmeg. Stir in cheese & quiche filling of your choice.
5. Bake 50 minutes in oven at 375 degrees F. Quiche is cooked when a knife inserted into the centre comes out clean.
6. Let stand 5 minutes before serving - important!