~Amanda~
Thanksgiving is over and we’re all back to our regular routines and feeling like we should be extra healthy this week to make up for all the indulging we did over the holiday weekend (boy was it worth it though, YUM)! This Spaghetti Squash Quiche is a recipe that I’ve been making for a few years now and I absolutely love it – it’s healthy, low calorie, gluten-free, meat-free and loaded with delicious flavors like mushrooms, garlic, thyme, oregano, and even some cheese (there’s nothing wrong with a little cheese, right?). Don’t let the fact that it’s ‘healthy’ scare you away either.. I made this for Conor, Jackie, and Steve the other week and they all thought it was incredible. And trust me, Conor and Steve are tough critics for the healthy stuff so if they liked it, it must be good!
What really makes this dish low-cal is the crust… a traditional quiche crust would be made out of dough, but this one is made from the spaghetti squash which only has 31 calories per CUP! Spaghetti squash is also rich in riboflavin, niacin, and thiamin, which promote optimal cellular function. It also has folate which supports the formation and development of new cells and may help prevent birth defects and promote cardiovascular health. To make and separate the spaghetti squash strands see our post for How to Cook a Spaghetti Squash. Once you have the stands separated in a bowl, combine them with thyme, oregano, garlic powder, cayenne and salt and then press the mixture into a pie pan – on the bottoms and up the sides to create your quiche crust.
While the crust is healthy and creative, the filling is really where it’s at. The combination of sauteed onions, mushrooms, kale and garlic is so flavorful and savory. Then you add the eggs, because what’s a quiche without eggs?! This one just has two egg yolks and the remainder is egg whites, which again helps keep the dish lower calorie while still getting the nutrients in from the two yolks. And finally comes the cheese; shredded mozzarella and cottage cheese. I buy both of these low-fat for this dish because I really don’t think you can tell a difference that they’re low-fat when they’re combined with all the other flavors. Pour the mixture into the spaghetti squash crust and bake until everything is cooked through and golden brown and your house smells so good! You want to let it sit for a little bit before serving so everything can set up and it doesn’t completely fall apart when you cut it, about 15 minutes. Then serve, we loved it topped with a little cholula, and enjoy!!
- 1 medium spaghetti squash
- ½ teaspoon thyme
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cups mushrooms, sliced
- 2 cups kale, chopped
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely diced
- 1 teaspoons thyme
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 whole eggs & 3 egg whites
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup cottage cheese (light)
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease a pie dish and set aside.
- Prepare spaghetti squash and separate the strands into a large bowl (follow our method at www.thesisterskitchen.com/how-to-cook-spaghetti-squash/).
- Add the thyme, oregano, garlic powder, cayenne, and salt and stir to combine.
- Transfer to the pie dish and press evenly on the bottom and up the sides. Set aside.
- Place a large skillet over medium high heat. Add olive oil, mushrooms, kale and onion and saute for about 5 minutes until soft.
- Add garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Saute for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Pour into a large bowl. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and egg whites for about 30 seconds. Add to the bowl with the mushroom and kale mixture along with the mozzarella and cottages cheeses.
- Pour into the spaghetti squash crust in the pie dish and bake for 40-50 minutes until cooked through (make sure you can insert a toothpick and it comes out clean).
- Let cool/set for 15 minutes and serve.
- Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days covered.
