This is my first year as a CSA participant and I love it. The one challenge however, has been how to use a massive volume of greens within 1 week, for 2 people in a way that is not a salad. I really can't complain. As a dietitian greens are honestly one of the best things you can do for your body. Even so, I can only do so many sautés before even I start pushing greens around on my own plate. The solution? Quiche. 

Poor quiche. It's a dish notoriously high in saturated fat and always brings the same memory: In college I worked as a teaching and lab assistant in our dietetics department...specifically the food lab. My primary role was the grocery shopper which was the best job ever. On quiche day, I always got very curious looks at the grocery as pushed two massive carts filled gallons of milk, stacks of eggs, sacks of flour and cheese to the max.

To make this quiche a healthy and happy dish (tastes awesome, everyone lurrrves it), I did some modifications to a normal quiche. The crust is made partially with buckwheat flour. It's rich in phytonutrients and improves blood flow and nutrient delivery (hello-that's a big beauty food). But what's even better about buckwheat is the way it tastes. It adds savory depth to an otherwise basic crust. The filling is made with tons of swiss chard, only 4 eggs, skim milk and instead of shredded cheese, small dollops of neufchâtel cheese which has less fat. 

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Swiss Chard Quiche and Buckwheat Crust

Ingredients: 

///Crust/// 

  • 1 2/3 cup Flour
  • 1/3 cup Buckwheat Flour
  • 1/4 cup Canola/vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup skim milk

///Filling/// 

  • 1 overflowing cup steamed swiss chard (stems n' all)
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup skim milk
  • 2 tablespoons neufchâtel cheese
  • salt
  • black pepper

Directions: To make the pie crust: Add ingredients to a bowl and use a fork to bring together. Scrape along the edges of the bowl until combined and eventually use your hand to lightly knead it into a ball. Press into a pie tin along the bottom and up the sides (9 or 10 inch). Prick with a fork along the bottom every few inches. Bake at 350 until lightly browned. 

Thinly slice swiss chard. Steam and allow to cool. Squeeze to remove water. Beat eggs, milk and salt and pepper with a fork. Once the pie crust is ready, remove from the oven and add swiss chard evenly across the bottom of the pie. Pour milk and egg mixture over the top. Add small dollops of neufchâtel to the top of the quiche. Bake at 350 until a knife comes out cleanly when the quiche is poked. 

 

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Dietitian Nutritionist and cookbook author sharing flavor-forward recipes and simplified science-driven wellness.