quick snacks

You know when you get home and you just want to eat something satisfying, but can't be bothered making anything. Like when you know that a piece of fruit or a muesli bar or biscuit just aint gonna cut it!

My fave little snack to make it mini quiches - its so quick and simple to make, keeps for a couple of days (if it doesn't get eaten first) and useful when you need something balanced, filling and quick, like when you don't get time for a proper lunch or after work.

Chicken and mushy mini quiches! (makes 18)

Ingredients

* 2-3 large eggs

* 1.5 cups low fat milk

* 3-4 button mushrooms

* 4 asparagus

* 1 leek

* 3-4 garlic cloves (feel free to add more for extra garlicky goodness)

* 1 chicken breast sliced length ways in half (to make more even thickness)

* Low fat grated cheese

* 2 x sheets coles brand puff pastry made with canola oil (this is a healthier fat to have in the diet, helps reduce your cholesterol levels and risk of heart disease/stroke)

* Canola spray oil

Utensils

1 small pot and steamer

Fry pan

Oven set at 180*C (fan forced oven)

Muffin tray

Knife and chopping board

3 x small bowls to put prepared ingredients in

Egg ring

1 teaspoon + 1 tablespoon

1 egg beater

Method

1. Heat oven to 180* C and start to boil water in pot with steamer on top.
2. Spray the muffin tins with canola oil
3. Keep the puff pastry in the freezer until step 6. This will keep it moist.
4. Slice leak and crush 2 garlic cloves. When steamer is ready, place about 1/4 of the leak and 1/2 garlic in steamer and lay the sliced chicken on top. Add about another 1/4 of the leak and other half garlic on top. Replace lid and let steam on low heat. Cook for about 10 minutes. This time will vary with the size and thickness of the chicken breast. Keep an eye on it. 
5. When the chicken is ready. Take out of the steamer and let it rest on a chopping board for a few minutes until warm. Shred chicken with a fork. You want this to be soft.
6. Whilst the chicken is cooking, cut up asparagus into 3cm sections, slice the mushrooms and crush the remaining garlic. In a pan, spray some canola oil and sautee the remaining leek, garlic, asparagus and mushrooms. 
7. Whisk eggs and milk in small bowl. Add some pepper for flavour. (I don't add salt, because the pastry will already had some salt in there)

You should now have your mis en plus (or stuff ready to cook)

1 x bowl of sautéed vegetables

1 x bowl of whisked eggs

1 x bowl of shredded steamed chicken and leak

2 x sheets puff pastry

Assembly

1. Using your egg ring, cut out your pastry. You should be able to get 3x3 circles. Place these into the muffin tins, creating a little cup.
2. Add about a tablespoon of chicken and 1 teaspoon sautéed vegetables to each quiche. You want to have more filling than egg, so fill as much as you like to fill the 18 cases.
3. Fill the remaining volume with the whisked eggs and a sprinkle of cheese. 
4. Place in the oven and cook for about 10 minutes or until pastry of golden brown.

and Voila - chicken and mushy mini quiches!!