Meatless Monday: Healthy Italian Spinach Pie
Have any meat loving family members in your life? You know the ones who turn up their nose at you if you gave them a quiche or salad for dinner without some sort of meat in it. Yep, I have one of those in my life, the hunky hubby.
Hearty meals don’t HAVE to have meat in them. This is one meal that my meat lovin’ hubby will eat even though there isn’t a sliver of meat in this scrumptious dish.
I used my Healthier Pie Crust recipe that makes 2 and had frozen one, so it was super simple to prepare having had this crust in the freezer already to go in its pie plate.
Use whatever crust you like, but just so you know, my nutrition info is using the crust from my recipe.
I use frozen spinach most of the time. I like the inconvenience of it already chopped and staying fresh until I want to use it. All I had to do was measure it out and microwave it a little to defrost it. If you want to saute your spinach, just use nonstick cooking spray in a pan until it is wilted.
Doesn’t that look so good? It tastes even better than it looks! The best part is the crust is NOT soggy!
Notes:
- You can make this with any milk of choice.
- You can eliminate the crust and it will be just as tasty.
- If using frozen spinach be sure to squeeze as much water out of the cooked spinach before adding to the pie crust.
- If using fresh spinach you do not need to cook beforehand.
- 1 [url href=”https://www.sugarfreemom.com/recipes/healthier-whole-wheat-pie-crust-makes-2/” target=”_blank” title=”Healthier Whole Wheat Pie Crust (Makes 2)”]whole wheat pie crust[/url]
- 2 cups fresh or frozen, chopped spinach
- 4 eggs, beaten
- 1 cup milk ( I used 1%)
- 1 cup shredded cheese, divided in half ( I used a reduced fat Italian cheese blend of asiago, mozzarella, Parmesan)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- pepper to taste
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs.
- Add salt, pepper, garlic, 1/2 cup shredded cheese and milk. Mix well.
- Evenly distribute the spinach into the pie crust.
- Pour the egg mixture over the spinach then add the 1/2 cup of cheese on top. Bake 40-60 minutes until the center is cooked.
- Let stand 15 minutes before slicing.
- Can be frozen after its cooled. Wrap well with saran wrap and then aluminum. Thaw overnight and reheat, covered with aluminum at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes. Take aluminum off and heat for another 5-10 minutes.
Directions
About Brenda
Brenda Bennett is a certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, certified Sugar Detox Coach, certified Keto Coach and certified Life Coach. She has been Sugar Free & Refined carb free for 17 years and has written 2 cookbooks, Sugar-Free Mom, and Naturally Keto and her 3rd book The 30-Day Sugar Elimination Diet, is a four part program to help you detox from sugar, eliminate cravings, balance blood sugar and lose weight all while eating a delicious, nutrient dense whole foods. Meal plan offers two tracks to follow, low carb or keto. She is the founder of the Sugar Free Fresh Start course and Sugar Free Tribe weight loss membership. Learn more.
Hi , just want to know do we need to bake pie crust first or directly we can use filling in this . Please let me know ASAP . Thanks
I would bake first for just about ten minutes.
Could I substitute the milk for Almond or Soy milk? ( I have never cooked with Almond/soy milk other than on the stove with Oatmeal).
I haven’t tried it but I think soy might work for you better than almond milk or even coconut milk.
Almond milk works just fine. Just made it tonight. I would suggest if you use frozen spinach, to get as much water out of it as possible. Mine was a little mushy in the center.
Thanks for letting me know!
Do you think this would still set up ok without a crust? I can’t do wheat/gluten!
Yes, I’ve tried it before and it is great crustless! you could even make it individual in ramekins.
could you add mushrooms to this?
absolutely, my kiddies don’t like then so I have to leave them out.
I always include mushroom, the other meat. Yummmy
TFS, that looks delicious! I’m always looking for meatless meals.
I make a similar version of this and my kids all love it.
Yummers!