Very, Very Low-Calorie Quiche

La Dilettante's Note:

If you have done the Hcg VLCD protocol ("Very Low Calorie Diet") you know that staying within 500 calories/day for 21 days is not easy! And because one cannot have more than one sort of vegetable with the two protein meals, things get boring fast. So I've been toying with creating recipes that meet the strict criteria, and this is by far my favorite for a "filling" (okay, maybe not filling, exactly, but nutritious and "legal"!

• Total Time: 50 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 6

Yield: 6.0 slices

• 1/4 cup roasted garlic cloves, mashed well
• 1/4 cup onion, chopped finely
• 1 cup fresh baby asparagus spear, tough ends removed, chopped coarsely
• 2 tablespoons vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 3 teaspoons dried basil
• salt
• 1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup nonfat milk
• 1 (16 ounce) carton pasteurized liquid egg-whites
• 3 whole eggs

Directions:

1. Spray a 9" pie dish with a very small amount of olive-oil spray, and rub with fingers to distribute well, coating surface lightly.
2. In skillet, heat the broth and stem the onion, garlic, and asparagus until soft, adding more broth as needed. Add seasonings and let cool slightly.
3. In a bowl, beat eggs, whites, cottage cheese, and milk until well blended. Add vegetables. Pour into dish, and bake at 350" until puffy and golden (about 40 minutes).