How To Make Appetizer Mini Spinach Quiche

These mini quiches are a snap to prepare, because you don’t have to make the crust. Just use Athens Mini Fillo shells, which you can find in the frozen foods section of your local grocery store near the phyllo dough. They come in two flavors: regular and tomato. Although you can’t really taste the tomato flavoring in the tomato shells, the red color does make the quiches look especially nice.

Feel free to use Swiss chard, bok choy or any seasonal greens you like in place of the spinach. You may have to extend the cooking time with the tougher greens, though.

Although this recipe uses the traditional half and half rather than the lower fat milk, I think it is a worthwhile tradeoff in calories to get a richer tasting quiche. If you prefer, feel free to substitute the half and half with whole, 2% or even skim milk.

Serve these mini spinach quiches for an appetizer for your next party or as a main course to kids. It’s a great way to get them to like spinach.

1 tsp. olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced finely
1 cup baby spinach, washed
kosher salt and pepper, to taste
2 large eggs
1/4 cup half and half
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese or semi-soft goat cheese
1/4 cup shredded low-fat swiss cheese
1 package (15 count) Athens Mini Fillo Shells (either plain or tomato)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and saute a minute or two, being careful not to let the garlic burn. Add the spinach and cook 1-2 minutes, just until wilted. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, beat together eggs and half and half until fluffy. Stir in cheeses and spinach mixture. Place mini fillo shells onto an ungreased cookie sheet or half sheet pan. Put a teaspoon of filling into each shell. Feel free to pack in as much filling as you can; just make sure the shells don’t tip over.

Bake 15-20 minutes until browned. Allow to stand at room temperature 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 15 appetizer quiches.

Per quiche: 44 calories, 3 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 33 mg cholesterol, 3 g carbohydrate, 0 g fiber, 2 g protein, 5% Vitamin A, 1% Vitamin C, 4% calcium, 2% iron