Potato Crusted Mini Quiches

Last week, the monthly newsletter from Clean Eating Magazine showed up in my email, and it included this recipe for Potato-Crusted Salmon & Goat Cheese Quiches. I loved the idea of a grab and go quiche with a potato crust in place of the traditional fat-laden pastry crust but wasn't entirely sold on the rest of the recipe. The original recipe called for yellow potatoes, but since I had a sweet potato that needed to get used, I threw that in the crust mixture as well. Not being a huge fan of salmon or goat cheese, I totally re-worked the egg mixture, opting instead for caramelized onions, roasted zucchini and peppers, and some fat free cheese.  The end result was fantastic – veggie packed and flavorful with just a bit of heat from the jalapeno in the cheese.  Each quiche has less than 75 calories to boot!

Potato Crusted Mini Quiches

Adapted from Clean Eating Magazine
Makes 14 Quiches

Ingredients
10 oz yellow potatoes, grated
8 oz sweet potatoes, grated
4 large eggs, plus 1/2 cup egg whites
1 tbsp whole-wheat pastry flour
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp basil infused olive oil
1 cup thinly sliced onions
1 cup diced bell peppers
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup shredded zucchini
2 oz Lifetime Fat Free Mild Mexican Cheese, shredded

Directions
Preheat oven to 425ºF. Arrange silicone muffin liners on a large rimmed baking sheet.
In a large bowl, combine potatoes, 1 whole egg, flour, salt and pepper. Line the muffin cups with the mixture; the potato crust should be about 1/4-inch thick on all sides. Bake for approximately 25 minutes, until browned around the edges. Remove from oven and let cool, about 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350ºF.
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions and let them cook until slightly brown...this should take about 10 minutes. Add the peppers and garlic and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the shredded zucchini and cook until softened. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together 3 eggs and 1/2 cup of egg whites. Add the Greek yogurt and whisk until incorporated. Add the veggie mixture as well as the cheese and stir. Spoon the mixture into the prepared potato crusts.
Bake at 350 degrees until set. This took 27 minutes in my oven. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife along the edge of the muffin cups before removing from the silicone molds.

Nutrition Information per Quiche
Calories:74.3
Fat: 1.8g
Carbohydrates: 8.3g
Protein: 5.5g
Calculated on Sparkrecipes.com
 

After having eaten most of the quiches, I had a flash of brilliance and whipped up some Adobo Cottage Cheese Sauce to amp up the spice and add a little more protein to my post workout meal. I can see myself making these again and again; the recipe is completely customizable based on what kind of veggies, meats, cheeses, etc I have on hand, and the convenience of being able to grab a couple as I head out the door is a huge plus.

As is usually the case in my kitchen, the cooking process was closely monitored by my in-house quality control staff.  Rest assured that nothing escapes Phoebe’s watchful eye!