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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Quick Fix: Quiche with bread-crumb crust can be ready in minutes

Linda Gassenheimer, Miami Herald

I like to serve a warm, inviting quiche for a quick midweek supper, but don’t want to fuss with pastry dough.

The secret to saving time and calories is to use bread crumbs for the crust instead. You can still slice and serve the quiche with this crust.

Completed with tossed green salad made with reduced-fat vinaigrette, this meal has 478 calories with 30 percent of calories from fat.

Ham and Wild Mushroom Quiche

Olive oil spray

1/2 cup whole-wheat bread crumbs

1/2 pound lean deli ham, torn into bite-size pieces

1 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms (see note)

1 cup sliced red onion

1 cup sliced red bell pepper

2 large eggs plus 4 egg whites

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup skim milk

1/2 cup shredded, reduced-fat, sharp Cheddar cheese

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray bottom and sides of 10-inch pie plate or shallow casserole dish with olive oil and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Gently roll and shake plate to distribute crumbs over sides and bottom.

Place ham, mushrooms, onion and bell pepper in the pie plate. In a small bowl, beat eggs and whites with a fork. Beat in the nutmeg, skim milk, cheese and salt and pepper. Pour into prepared pie plate. Press the ingredients under the eggs with a fork.

Bake about 25 minutes, until quiche is firm. Remove, cut in halves and serve.

Yield: 2 servings

Nutrition per serving: 451 calories (30 percent from fat), 14.9 grams fat (5.4 grams saturated, 5.7 grams monounsaturated), 280 milligrams cholesterol, 48.1 grams protein, 30.8 grams carbohydrates, 4.9 grams fiber, 2,000 milligrams sodium

Note: Any type of mushrooms can be used. With portobellos, which are juicier, bake the quiche 5 minutes extra.

Linda Gassenheimer is the author of 14 cookbooks. Visit her Web page at www.DinnerInMinutes.com or email her at Linda@DinnerInMinutes.com.