Easy, Kid-Friendly Quiche

Not too long ago, I read on a food blog that the author’s children absolutely love it when she makes quiche for them. Evidently they always ask for seconds, there are never any leftovers, etc. That sounded impossible to me. Kids don’t like quiche! Right? At least mine don’t. Then I started thinking. Why don’t my kids like quiche? Why didn’t I like quiche as a kid? Could it be because we often include ingredients in the quiche that they don’t like? Certainly a cheese and egg pie could be made in such a way that my kids would see it as the delicious treat that we adults already know it to be.

It turned out to be much easier than I anticipated. While our family was visiting my parents, I made a quiche with a healthy crust and used only ingredients I knew my kids liked. Sure enough, they asked for seconds!

Of course, in a busy family, quiche isn’t always the most practical dish to make, so I’ve tried to come up with some tips to streamline the process so we can enjoy this delicious, high protein breakfast more often.

1. Determine which ingredients you want to include in your quiche. Peppers, onions, bacon, sausage, etc. Prepare these ingredients beforehand, making sure to prepare large quantities of each. Store them in the freezer in snack size baggies. When it’s time to make quiche, you’ll be able to simply toss in the ingredients without having to cut, cook, or shred them that morning.

2. Bake your crust ahead of time. Purchase some disposable pie tins in which to bake the crusts, then freeze the crusts right in the tins. If you stack them, place a sheet of waxed paper between crusts to prevent sticking. Make sure to either cover the crusts with foil or store the entire tin in a giant baggie, if it will fit. (Of course, using a store bought crust would be even easier, but they contain refined and unhealthy ingredients. Your call.)

3. Make mini quiches in muffin tins, then freeze each mini quiche individually on a cookie sheet. When anyone wants quiche for breakfast, simply pull out as many as you will need, reheat them, and eat!

Basic Quiche Recipe
adapted from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook

Ingredients:
4 beaten eggs
1 ½ cups whole milk
¼ tsp. sea salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
Dash of nutmeg
1 ½ cups shredded cheese, your choice
about 1 cup total of your choice of fillings: meat, peppers, etc.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Stir together eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and nutmeg, then stir in other filling ingredients you’ve chosen. Last, stir in the cheese, making sure everything is mixed together well. Pour into your prebaked pie crust (see recipe below) and bake for 40 minutes or more, until knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Ingredients:
½ cup whole wheat flour
½ cup almond flour
½ tsp. sea salt
¼ cup olive or grapeseed oil
¼ cup milk

Directions:
Stir all ingredients together in a medium bowl. Cover a flat surface with more whole wheat flour and roll the crust out. Laying the crust over a rolling pin, carefully set it in a pie tin or plate. Trim the edges and crimp if desired.
Bake at 425 until set and dry (about 10 minutes).

If you make your own sausage or use bacon free of additives like nitrites and nitrates, you'll have a substantial, protein packed breakfast free of refined sugars and flours that you can feel good about feeding your family!