Quiche always leaves me feeling greasy and bloated. It seems like it'd be light, but so many quiches end up weighed down with cheese with just a smattering of bland veggies and a butter-loaded crust. This one, my friends, is different. The crust is crunchy-chewy (healthy) quinoa (and therefore, it's gluten-free, too), and the midsection is filled with garlicky chunks of broccoli and the sharp tang of Cheddar. And, as my 7-year-old daughter proved, this is a quiche kids love, too. Thanks to Closet Cooking for guidance on the quiche shell!
2-1/2 cups cooked quinoa
1 teaspoon dried mustard
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 egg
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Cooking spray
1 head of broccoli cut into bite-sized florets (about 6 cups)
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, sliced
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
5 eggs
1/2 cup lowfat milk
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
To prepare the crust: While oven is preheating, mix together the quinoa, mustard, turmeric, egg and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper in a medium mixing bowl (keep the bowl for later). Spray a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray and press the quinoa mixture evenly into the bottom and all the way up the sides of the pie plate. Bake for 15 minutes, until just golden brown and starting to crisp. Remove when done.
To prepare the filling: While quiche shell is baking, pour broccoli and water into a large skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook 3 minutes. Remove cover, turn heat back up to medium-high and let the remainder of the water burn off completely. Toss broccoli a few times to “dry” the florets a bit. Add olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Give the pan a shake to distribute the broccoli into one layer and let it sit for a couple of minutes. Then use a stiff spatula to flip the broccoli up and over to sear on the other side. Cook until browned in patches and just tender, about 5 minutes. Arrange the broccoli evenly inside the quiche shell.
Whisk together eggs, milk and a pinch of salt and pepper in the bowl you'd mixed the quinoa in. Pour the egg mixture evenly over the broccoli in the quiche shell and sprinkle cheese over the top.
Bake the quiche for 35-40 minutes, until filling is set and cheese is bubbly.
Serves 8
