Make Mini Spinach and Mushroom Quiches for any Occasion

For me, summer is all about easy living and quick light meals. But you can’t eat salads all the time. Eggs are a good way to change things up and they are so versatile. Hard boiled eggs are one of my favorites but when I want to get a little fancy, I make mini quiches. Traditional quiches are made with buttery pastry crusts, heavy cream and lots of gooey cheese. The recipe below lightens things up by ditching the crust altogether and adding in spinach and mushrooms for a hearty flavor. These mini quiches are easy and quick and can easily be served at bridal showers, brunches, picnics, tea parties and so much more. They are also great for breakfast, a healthy lunch or light dinner. Plus, without the crust, the filling steals the show!

Serving Size: 1 mini quiche Number of servings: 12 Calories per serving: 47 Ingredients Calories 4 large eggs 156 1/4 cup Egg Beaters 33 1 cup chopped frozen spinach 30 1 cup sliced mushrooms 15 1/4 cup shredded low fat cheddar cheese 110 1/4 cup half and half 90 1/4 tsp salt 0

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place the frozen spinach in a small bowl and let stand until completely defrosted.

Clean and slice the mushrooms. Place the mushrooms in a large non-stick skillet and cook over medium high heat until the mushrooms are browned (approximately 5 minutes).

Place the eggs in a large bowl. Beat the eggs until the whites are well combined. Add the Egg Beaters and salt to the bowl. Whisk the egg mixture until the eggs are a pale yellow.

Add the spinach to the egg mixture and whisk the egg mixture again to combine.

Spray a mini muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the egg mixture into each mini muffin cup. Add a few slices of mushrooms to each cup. Sprinkle the shredded cheese across the tops of the 12 muffin cups.

Bake the mini quiches in the pre-heated oven until the eggs are just set and the tops are lightly browned (approximately 10 – 15 minutes).

Remove the muffin tin from the oven and let the mini quiches sit to cool in the pan for approximately 10 minutes. Remove the mini quiches from the muffin tin using a small knife or spatula and place the mini quiches on a cutting board or serving plate.

Serve.

Barbara's Tips

	Egg Beaters are real eggs. They are all-natural liquid egg whites that are enriched with the same vitamins and minerals found in egg yolks. Beta-carotene is added to naturally color the egg whites so they look just like whole beaten eggs. Egg Beaters taste like whole eggs but have half the calories. They’re a great option for dishes requiring beaten eggs.
	Use frozen chopped spinach in this recipe. It is easiest to incorporate into the egg mixture. Make sure the spinach is defrosted before using. It can be left at room temperature to defrost or placed in the microwave for a few seconds.
	For maximum flavor, use sharp cheddar or any other sharp cheese of your liking. A low fat or low moisture cheese, like an aged cheddar, works really well in this recipe.
	There is no need to put any oil or butter in the skillet when cooking the mushrooms. A dry pan allows the mushrooms to brown quickly without releasing a lot of moisture.

Essential Flavors

	Spinach is a green leafy vegetable that can be eaten raw or cooked. Raw spinach is mild in taste. Cooked spinach has a stronger, earthier flavor.
	Mushrooms are a fungus with a fleshy, meaty texture and an earthy flavor.
	Cheddar cheese is a hard cheese usually off white or orange in color. The more the cheddar is aged, the sharper the flavor.