Spinach Ricotta Pie

When we first saw this recipe, we thought we would miss the crust. We didn't. YUM!!!!!

From Idiot's Guide:

Spinach and Ricotta Pie


1 10-oz package frozen spinach, finely chopped
2 Tbsp butter
4 oz prosciutto
1 clove garlic, minced
3 eggs
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (or Italian cheese blend, which is what I used)
1 15-oz package ricotta cheese (I used low-fat)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Cook spinach according to package directions (I microwaved it for 8 minutes on high, stirring half way through).  Drain and squeeze dry (the less water left in the spinach, the better for your pie).

3.  Chop prosciutto into small pieces (like you would dice bacon).  Heat butter in small skillet. Add prosciutto and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and remove from heat.

4.  In a medium bowl, beat eggs until lightly lemon colored (I have no idea what this means, but I beat them until fluffy, about 5 minutes with a whisk).  Gently stir in ricotta and then parmesan, trying not to flatten the eggs.  Then stir in spinach and prosciutto and mix lightly.

5.  Pour into a greased souffle dish. Bake for 50 minutes or until browning and pulling away from the sides of the dish. Cut into 8 portions to serve (or 6!?!?!).

We finished this with turkey bacon and green salad.  A really excellent meal!  I was a little doubtful about the meal being filling enough, but it definitely was - and it was a treat of Italian flavors. A definite repeat.

Cheesy Baked Eggs

This was a nice Sunday breakfast. Easy, and not too time consuming (bake for 15 minutes).  I didn't manage to have onions in the house, but used a combination of onions, green peppers and carrots as the base. I also didn't have cream, so used chicken broth (also lower in fat and in calories).  Neither Robert nor I really like egg yolks, and so to have used the entire egg with the yolk unbroken didn't really work for us.  Instead, next time I'll break the yolk, although not scramble the egg. These were tasty and a nice part of a breakfast. This morning we finished this with turkey bacon and french toast made with low carb bread.

Adapted from Idiot's Guide:

Cheesy Baked Eggs


Butter for sauteeing and for coating the individual baking dishes
1 onion, finely chopped (or green onions, which is what I used)
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1/4 cup shredded carrots
salt and cayenne to taste
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
6 eggs
1/2 cup (heavy cream or) chicken broth

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2.  Melt butter in a skillet and saute onion until tender. Butter 6 individual baking dishes and layer onions on the bottom, topped with salt, cayenne and half of the cheese.  Gently break each egg (breaking or not breaking yolks, as desired) onto cheese. Cover with chicken broth (or cream), and top with remaining cheese.

3. Cover dishes with foil and bake 15 minutes until yolks are set and whites are cooked.

Ham and Broccoli Frittata

Sunday morning breakfast


This is not a difficult breakfast, but it does require a little prep time - the potatoes need to be thawed and the broccoli needs to be cooked. I used frozen potatoes, but put them in some cold water to thaw when we first got up, and frozen broccoli (ditto). So then it really doesn't take very long to put together.

From Diabetes and Heart Healthy Cookbook:

Ham and Broccoli Frittata


vegetable oil spray
2 cups frozen fat-free potatoes O'Brien, thawed
3/4 cups broccoli florets
3/4 cup egg substitute (or whites of 5 large eggs plus one egg)
6 oz lower-sodium, low-fat ham, cut into 1/4 inch cubes (or diced deli ham)
1/4 cup fat-free milk
1/4 tsp pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2.  Heat 10-inch nonstick ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Remove from the heat and lightly spray with vegetable oil spray (being careful not to spray near a gas flame). Put the potatoes in the skillet. Lightly spray with vegetable oil spray. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until golden brown, stirring occasionally.

3.  Meanwhile, rinse the broccoli in cold water; drain but do not dry (some water droplets will cling to the broccoli). (If using frozen - thaw in some cold water, drain, and then continue).  Cook, covered on high power for 3-4 minutes (for fresh) or 2-3 minutes (for frozen) or until tender-crisp. Stir the broccoli into the potatoes.

4.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg substitute, ham, milk, and pepper. Pour the mixture over the potatoes and broccoli. Stir well.

5.  Bake uncovered for 15-18 minutes, or until the eggs are set (they don't jiggle when gently shaken).

6. To serve, but the frittata into wedges.

This morning, I topped the frittata with swiss cheese for the last 10 minutes of baking. I also baked some turkey bacon for that same amount of time, and served with toast.  I like the kick of the swiss cheese, and it made the whole dish more like a meal.

Breakfast for Dinner

Monday night we had breakfast for dinner - and it helped us get rid of some of the veggies that were in the fridge!  Ham and broccoli frittata, canadian bacon, bagel flats, and green salad.  An easy meal and the frittata makes me realize that we can have quiche-like food (which I love) just without the crust.  Frittata has become one of my favorite ways to get protein and have something different for breakfast (or dinner).

This is also from DH:

Ham and Broccoli Frittata


Vegetable oil spray
2 cups frozen fat-free potatoes O'Brien, thawed (you can thaw these in cold water quickly)
4 ounces small broccoli florets (about 3/4 cup)
1/2 cup egg substitute
3 eggs (of course, you can use the equivalent egg white substitute)
6-oz lower sodium, low-fat ham, cubed (I buy this already cubed)
1/4 cup fat-free milk
1/4 tsp pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Heat a 10-inch nonstick ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Remove from the heat and lightly spray with the vegetable oil spray. Put the potatoes in the skillet. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally.

3. Meanwhile, rinse the broccoli in cold water; drain but do not dry. Put the broccoli in a microwave-safe bowl. Cook, covered, on 100 percent power for 2-4 minutes or until tender-crisp. Drain. (Or you can use  a steamer for this and steam for about 5 minutes). Stir the broccoli into the potatoes.

4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and egg substitute. Whisk in the ham, milk, and pepper. Pour the mixture over the potatoes and broccoli. Stir well.

5. Bake, uncovered, for 15-18 minutes, or until the eggs are set (they don't jiggle when gently shaken).

6. To serve, cut the frittata into wedges.

Serve with a green salad and this is a great light meal!