HEALTHY HERB QUICHE

Posted by Carole-Anne on August 27, 2007

Quiche is essentially a pastry shell filled with a savory egg mixture and cooked in the oven.

Healthy Recipes recommends the egg mixture which contains protein, vegetables and light cheese, and provides plenty of vitamins be used as a lunch, brunch, breakfast or dinner recipe, as it contains all the necessary requirements for a full meal content. This is providing you use a Nutri-blend flour or whole wheat flour.

The great thing about quiche is that it can be made with or without the pastry.  Pastry contains either vegetable shortening , butter or lard.  I choose butter, bearing in mind that I would count this fat content for my daily allowance. 

This is my favorite Herb Quiche, with pastry recipe included as well:

INGREDIENTS AND INSTRUCTIONS:

Butter Pastry

1 1/2 cups Nutri-flour

3 ounces cold butter

1 egg yolk

Sift flour into medium-size bowl.

Add butter into flour creating small fine balls using a pastry blender.

Add egg mixture and mix until the flour and egg sticks together.  Add a little water if necessary the mixture turns into a ball. 

Place in refrigerator to chill for 15 minutes.

Remove from refrigerator and place on floured surface.

Using a rolling pin, roll pastry out until it is big enough to fill your quiche pan (including the sides).

Next is a secret cook’s trick:  place wax paper on pastry shell and fill pastry shell with enough dried beans (you can use dried rice as well) for 10 – 15 minutes until pastry is light golden brown.

Remove quiche pan from oven, and remove beans and wax paper.  Set aside to cool while you make quiche mixture. 

INGREDIENTS AND INSTRUCTIONS:

3 eggs

2 tbsp chopped chives

2 tbsp chopped parsley 

1/2 cup light cream cheese softened

1/2 cup 1% milk

1/2 cup shredded provolone

Freshly ground pepper

Red pepper cut in rings (4 -6 rings) to garnish

Whisk together 3 eggs.

Add 1/2 cup 1% milk and 1/2 cup softened cream cheese and mix until smooth.

Add egg mixture to milk and cream cheese blending until smooth.

Pour mixture into quiche pastry shell and garnish with red pepper rings.

Bake at 350F for 45 minutes, or until the center springs back lightly.

Healthy Recipes favors this Quiche with or without the pastry.  It takes a little time to make, but with the provolone, fresh herbs and red pepper – his healthy quiche has excellent flavor.

Recipe serves 6.

Whole Wheat Biscuits

Posted by Carole-Anne on

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup orange juice

Whole wheat is the best flour to use for health’s sake, so this recipe just fits the bill.

1 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

pinch sea salt

2 tbsp sugar (or replacement Splenda)

1/4 cup virgin olive oil

1 egg

NEXT TO DO:

Soak raisins in orange juice for about 5 minutes.

Mix whole wheat flour, baking powder, cream of tartar, pinch of sea salt, and 2 tbsp. of sugar or Splenda.

Add egg (premixed), juice and raisins.

Blend mixture until moist. Turn out on floured board.

I use my biscuit cutters (large one) and make tea biscuits. For biscuits, spread dough on floured area and roll gently into a circle. Cut biscuits (makes approximately eight biscuits.  Place on cookie sheet and cook for approximately 10 – 15 minutes at 350 F.

Remove biscuits, place in basket that has a clean tea towel in in, cover and  serve warm.

OR: for something different, roll out dough gently into a circle on a floured surface. Place in round cake pan and score the top gently into 6 pieces.

Bake in medium hot oven at 350 F for 12 – 20 minutes.

Take cake out and turn out onto plate – let cool for 10 minutes scoring before eating.  The healthy whole wheat bread is ready to serve. This is another big favorite of mine as it is easy to make, takes only 12 – 20 minutes in the oven, and tastes great!  Enjoy this healthy recipe!

Serves 6 as round cake or 6 – 8  muffins; love this recipe!