Sensational summer quiche

So what is this new eating plan that has me cooking and baking once more? And ignoring my political duty to rant and rave about Floridian justice and a morally bankrupt social strata? The fact is when I'm upset, and this whole "sure he killed him but he isn't guilty of anything" verdict has me upset... I eat. I also eat when I'm happy. And sometimes when I'm hungry. While some people can eat and eat and eat and their body shapes never change or they just run a damn marathon to compensate... I am a well rounded human being, pun intended, and marathons do not fit my lifestyle. Back to the plan.

Well, it's a combination of different, trendy, new weight loss programs. In other words, skip the trendy and go with what works for us... so we stick with it. No grains. No Starch. Meats, poultry and dairy? Free range and hormone free... and NOT grain-fed. No Sugar. Ok maybe a teaspoon here and there :). So if you are looking for low-fat... stop here. Won't find it.

So, how do these look? Like some lo-carb substitute food? I think not!

They look pretty good, no? And they are so damn easy to make. Crustless mini quiche muffins, courtesy of Melissa. A little help from Mom (who actually made them while Melissa shared her thoughts from the confines of her room through apparent osmosis.)

Start with a standard 12-count muffin tin. Spray it or oil it or use whatever you need to to grease it up!

Stick with organic butters and good fat sprays (olive oil, canola are two). 

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

Ingredients: 

• 6 Organic Eggs; 
• 2 Cups Cream or Half and Half (any liquid, even water, but the creamier the better);
• 12 tablespoons Deliciousness. This is your filling. Your flavoring. Your signature. I used diced ham and a few bacon crumbles on top on this go round. Additional garnishments (spinach leaves, mushrooms, etc) can be layered in. Experiment. It's fun. Use whatever is in the fridge. Leftover Shrimp or Lobster? Mix it up and make several varieties. Have fun! 
• 1 Cup shredded cheese

Grab a large pyrex mixing bowl and whisk your eggs and liquid. A little seasoning here doesn't hurt, but it's totally dependent upon the fillings you've chosen. Make sure your seasoning complements them. 

Now grab your fillings and layer about a tablespoon each in the bottom of each cup. Maybe it's diced ham... maybe it's smoked salmon... and a little fresh Dill. Yum. A little crab and cajun? The possibilities boggle the mind.

Your "fillings" are layered in the bottom of each tin. I layered the diced ham with about a tablespoon of grated cheese. I used a 2% reduced fat but choose your favorite. Smoked gouda... cream cheese (no, not grated, just heap a spoonful) maybe some nice Havarti? You see where I'm going with this. What you put in the bottom of that tin is up to you. The important part is the amount of liquid to egg... and that you have enough for each tin. Now I don't use egg beaters or egg substitute, so if you do, let me know how that works for you. Eggs are my protein and I just happen to love them.

So now that your muffin tins are packed (about 1/3 to halfway up) with deliciousness, pour your egg batter into each tin, about 1/4" from the top. Depending on the type of liquid you use, the quiche will puff up while cooking but not until it's begun setting, so shouldn't spill over. Don't overfill or it will and you will be very unhappy cleaning it up.

Bake 30 minutes or until the top is firmly set and begins to brown. I served mine with my lo-carb Zucchini Bread and a nice tossed salad. Followed by homemade lo-carb brownies and ice cream. But more on those later. Give this a try and let me know what you think... and what form your deliciousness took!