I made my first quiche last November based upon this recipe for Easy Broccoli Quiche. Since I first made the quiche, I have changed the filling a bit and eliminated the crust.

I’m not a huge fan of pie crust, and removing the crust cut the calorie count in half. The filling in this new version is puffier, thanks to an additional egg and more milk. I probably add more than 1 cup of chopped broccoli, as broccoli, eggs and cheese has become one of my new favorite food combination. While it may sound fancy and indulgent, this is a healthy, filling meal.

We frequently have breakfast for dinner. Served with a slice of whole grain toast and some fruit, this quiche makes a delicious, filling meal. It also reheats well – perfect for a quick, mess-free breakfast or dinner leftovers the following night.

Crustless Broccoli Quiche

Yields 4 servings

1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup chopped broccoli (fresh or frozen)
1 cup shredded Cheddar Jack Cheese or Mozzarella Cheese
4 eggs, well beaten
1 cup skim milk
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. If using frozen broccoli, thaw before chopping.
3. Heat oil in large saute pan over medium-low heat.
4. Add onions, garlic and broccoli. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are soft.
5. Whisk together beaten eggs and milk. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in vegetable mixture and cheese.
6. Spray 9-inch pie pan lightly with cooking spray.
7. Pour egg mixture into pie pan, and bake in preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until center has set.

I made my first quiche on Sunday! Not only was it remarkably easy to make, but it got rave reviews from our company.

I first perused my cookbook collection, but was disappointed that the recipes called for large amounts of cream or milk. Since I have an intolerance to milk, I try to limit the amount that I use when cooking. Convinced that I could find a tasty recipe that had far less milk, I hit up allrecipes.com.

I settled on a heavily modified version of Easy Broccoli Quiche. While reviewers loved the general idea of the recipe, most said that the mix was too wet. My changes are detailed in the recipe below. As a time-saver, I used a refrigerated Pillsbury pie crust and frozen baby broccoli florets. If you’re looking to save even more time, frozen chopped onion could be used in a pinch.

I will likely add another egg next time, as the egg mixture didn’t rise to completely fill the crust. Aside from that minor criticism, I have no complaints. The egg mixture baked up nicely and was quite flavorful.

I took this photo right before everyone went back for seconds – there were no leftovers!

Broccoli Quiche

Yields 6 servings

2 tablespoons butter
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 cup chopped broccoli (fresh or frozen)
1 9-inch unbaked pie crust
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar Jack Cheese
3 eggs, well beaten
3/4 cup skim milk
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. If using frozen broccoli, thaw before chopping.
3. Melt butter in large saute pan over medium-low heat.
4. Add onions, garlic and broccoli. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are soft.
5. Whisk together beaten eggs and milk. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in vegetable mixture and cheese.
6. Place unbaked pie crust in pie pan.
7. Pour egg mixture into crust, and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until center has set.