CRUSTLESS SPINACH
RICOTTA QUICHE
This is a wonderful new way to enjoy spinach,
and the presentation rivals a good small pizza.
SERVES 6
12 cups (a little more than 1 pound) well
washed fresh spinach or 1 (12-ounce)
package frozen spinach, thawed
2 teaspoons olive oil
½ cup finely chopped onions
1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
1 cup egg substitute* (or 4 whole eggs), beaten
½ teaspoon dried dill
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch nutmeg
3 plum tomatoes, seeds and juice removed,
chopped (yield 1 cup)
1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese
*I prefer Egg Beaters Southwestern Style.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9-inch pie
plate or springform pan.
Steam the fresh spinach about 2 minutes
until just wilted. Frozen spinach won’t need to
be cooked, just thawed. Press the water out of
the cooked or thawed spinach and set aside.
Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium
heat and cook the onions until soft but not
brown. Combine the ricotta cheese, egg substi
tute, dill, salt, black pepper, and nutmeg in a
large bowl. Add the spinach, tomatoes, and
onions. Mix thoroughly and tip into the pre
pared pan.
Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top and
bake about 30 minutes until set. Let the quiche
cool in the pan for 5–10 minutes before slicing
in wedges and serving.
Per serving : 102 calories, 4 g fat, 2 g saturated fat
(18% calories from saturated fat), 7 g carbohydrate,
11 g protein, 2 g dietary fiber, 342 mg sodium. Ex-
changes: 1 Lean Meat, 1 Vegetable
SPINACH SAUTÉ ON RICE
Here we have an unusual fried-rice dish fi lled
with aroma, color, and texture. It’s almost a
wilted salad. Use sun-dried tomatoes that are
dry packed, not marinated in oil.
SERVES 4
2 bunches (about 12 ounces) spinach,
stemmed and thoroughly washed
¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, bashed and chopped
2 cups thick-sliced mushrooms (⅓ inch)
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups cooked long-grain white rice
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
Cut the spinach leaves in ½-inch strips and set
aside for later. Cover the sun-dried tomatoes
234 • GROWING AT THE SPEED OF LIFE