Guilt-free is for me [Ham and Spinach Casserole]

I love casseroles for their cheesy goodness.  I also hate casseroles for their cheesy goodness (must have cheeeeese!).

Like the rest of America, it’s New Year to a New Skinnier Me. Treadmill = I hate you.  Lame. Recently I picked up a copy of Incredibly Easy Gluten Free Recipes ($7.98) in the bargain section at Barnes and Noble.  My small intestine does not require me to eat gluten free, but I like the idea of eating fewer wheat products. I’m also big into quinoa lately, and this book has a decent number of recipes with quinoa as the bright, healthy shining star.

One of the first recipes in the book was for Crustless Ham and Spinach Tart, with only 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese required. I had most of the ingredients; all I needed was ham and frozen spinach.  I don’t like recipes that break the bank (I’m looking at you, Rachel Ray!).  Lame. Unsatisfactory.

New Year to a New Me Resolution Number 2: Quit saying LAME so much. Jeez.

Crustless Ham and Spinach Tart

• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 10 oz. package frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed dry (very dry or you’ll have a runny tart!)
• 2-2.5 cups deli ham, sliced or cubed (recipe calls for sliced, I cubed instead, depends on your desired ham ratio)
• 1 cup milk
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, plus some for topping the final product
• 1 tbsp minced fresh basil or 2 tsp. dried
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350.  Lightly spray 9-inch glass pie dish with cooking spray.

Heat oil in medium skillet over medium high heat.  Add onion and garlic until soft, about 2 minutes.  Stir in spinach and ham.  Spread mixture evenly into pie plate.

Combine milk, eggs, 1/4 cup cheese, basil, pepper, and nutmeg in a medium bowl.  Pur over spinach mixture.  Bake 50 minutes to one hour, or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

It seemed a little wiggly jiggly when I first pulled it out of the oven. I let it sit for 10 minutes to firm up. One I dug in, I discovered it to be light, fluffy, and fresh. Perfect for dinner for one, since S was at a bachelor party (must resist…urge…..LAME! Bah, I couldn’t not say it).

I reheated my tasty tart under a low broiler the next morning, and it was still perfectly edible, which is great. Day-old egg casserole can be dicey, you know.

Go team!