August 31, 2010

Gluten free, wheat free, crust free or just a giant omelet?

When I opened the refrigerator today I had a hard time planning dinner. Without exaggerating I was not able to find much more than eggs, milk, yogurt, cucumber, cheeses and a whole lot of condiments. Eggs and Milk means pancakes or Quiche to me. I checked the freezer and found spinach and ham and I was ready to start cooking!

For those on the Atkins, gluten intolerant, wheat sensitive or for those who just don't like crust, this quiche is a perfect dish. It is quick to make and you will be sure to get a big portion of your daily vegetable intake (something for my unhealthy husband J). Another great thing with this recipe is that you can add anything you want to the quiche and you can go on a scavenger hunt for cheese left-overs in the refrigerator and include it in the quiche. I had some smoked Gouda and Parmesan cheese and young Manchego. I made the mistake and bought the young Manchego the other day and it is something I will never do again. One of my favorite cheeses is Aged Manchego and tastes better the longer I keep in the refrigerator. The young Manchego does not measure up to the Aged Manchego and I am not shy to say that I would not waste the Aged Manchego in a Quiche........




Crustless Spinach Quiche

16oz frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 Cup shredded smoked Gouda cheese (can be substituted for any cheese)
1/2 Cup of Shredded young Manchego
1/2lb ham, cubed
3 Large Eggs
1 1/2 cups Milk
Salt & black pepper
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1) Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
2) Lightly grease a 9-inch round or 8-inch square baking dish with olive oil
3) Shred the Gouda and Manchego cheese, alternatively use a food processor.
4) Whisk the eggs and add the milk, cheese, salt and pepper and lastly the spinach and Ham
5) Pour the mixture into the prepared dish and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.
6) Bake until the center is set, around 30 min

Serve with a Side Salad or a why not a Salmon fillet.

If you are one of those who thinks nutmeg and spinach go hand in had, feel free to mix that in as well!

Tip: I always eyeball the amount of Milk in a quiche because I am not one to use a recipe when I make the dish. Depending on how well I squeezed the water out of the spinach or the overall consistency of the mix I might need to add more Milk. It is better that you always start with less Milk then what the recipe calls for. 


Fun information: It is interesting how spinach hanges taste and shape when it is cooked. My husband is not a big fan of cooked spinach as a side dish but would never say No to this Quiche. 

1 comment:

  1. Great idea to use up leftovers. Thank you for the caution about the milk - I'll keep an eye on that. It looks scrumptious!

    ReplyDelete