(Serves 8)

•  1-2 sheets shortcrust pastry

• 2 bunches spring onion, cut into 2 cm lengths

• 6 large eggs, beaten

• ¼ cup low fat milk

• 1 small red chili (seeds removed if desired) finely chopped

• 250g ricotta cheese

• ¼ bunch parsley, finely chopped

• ½ punnet cherry tomatoes, halved & placed on paper towel flesh side down to remove excess juice.

• Pinch of salt

Citrus Spring Salad:

• 4 cups lettuce

• 1 cup snow peas, sliced on the angle

• 1 Lebanese cucumber, seeds removed & roughly diced

• ½ bunch radish, thinly sliced

• ¼ bunch mint, leaves picked and roughly chopped

• 4 oranges, segmented

• ½ cup roasted pistachio, roughly chopped

Salad Dressing

• 2 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil

• ½ lemon, juiced and zested

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• ¼ bunch dill, finely chopped

• Pinch salt & black pepper

1. Prep the base
   Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan forced). Grease a 24cm x 3.5cm quiche tin. Line with pastry, leaving a little overhang (about 0.5 cm) above the edge as this helps with shrinkage. Pop into the fridge for 30 minutes to chill and firm up.

2. Cook the onions
   Heat a frying pan over medium heat. Char the spring onions until lightly golden and fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool.

3. Mix the filling
   In a large bowl, whisk eggs and milk together. Set aside ¼ cup for brushing the pastry later. To the rest, stir through ricotta, chilli, parsley, and the cooled spring onions. Place in the fridge until ready to bake.

4. Blind bake the pastry
   When the pastry is chilled, it’s time to bake! Dock the base (gently prick with a fork), then line with baking paper and fill with baking weights, rice, or dried lentils. Bake for 10–15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.

5. Seal the base
   Remove the weights and paper. Brush the pastry with the reserved egg mix and bake for another 5–10 minutes. This seals the base and keeps it crisp (no soggy bottoms here!). Let cool slightly.

6. Fill and bake
   Pour in the quiche mixture. Arrange cherry tomato halves on top, cut side facing up. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until set in the centre and golden. Cool slightly before slicing.

7. Make the salad
   While the quiche bakes, whisk together the salad dressing in a small bowl. In a large salad bowl, toss together lettuce, snow peas, cucumber, radish, mint, & orange segments. Just before serving, dress with salad dressing and sprinkle with pistachios to finish.

8. Serve and enjoy
   Cut the quiche into 8 wedges. Plate up alongside the fresh citrus spring salad for a colourful, heart-smart meal.

Snapshot!

This quiche & salad plate serves up balanced nourishment in a lighter way. Each slice brings steady energy (1282 kJ) with 12 g of protein for satiety, a moderate 18 g of fat (mostly heart-friendly unsaturated), and just over 21 g of carbs for fuel. You’ll also get a boost of fibre (3.7 g), a gentle 306 mg of sodium, and plenty of key minerals like potassium (508 mg) to support heart health and phosphorus (151 mg) for bone strength.

What it means on the plate

A slice of quiche with salad is a lighter, balanced main meal. The plate gives you steady energy from carbs, enough protein for satiety, and a rainbow of veg to bring fibre and micronutrients. Fat is moderate, with a good mix of healthy unsaturated fats alongside some saturated from dairy and pastry.

Food group balance -> A solid base of grains + veg, with a touch of protein and dairy. To boost balance into the AGHE “ideal meal” zone, pair with extra vegetables or a fruit side.

• Grains: 0.7 serves (pastry base)

• Vegetables: 1serve (veggies in quiche & salad)

• Fruit: 0.1 serves (orange segments)

• Protein foods: 0.5 serves (eggs & pistachios)

• Dairy: 0.2 serves (ricotta)

CWJ Takeaway

A colourful plate that blends comfort with crunch! This lighter quiche & salad combo works for an everyday balanced lunch making it feel balanced, fresh & a little bit special!