Needing low carb, low calorie ideas for Easter brunch or Passover breakfast? This easy Spinach Cheese Bake is the ticket.

Both holidays have many dishes that traditionally are rich and filled with carbohydrates, so I wanted to feature  an entree that is light and blood sugar friendly. The spinach bake is reminiscent of a quiche, but with a more delicate texture and lighter flavor.

As far as the high cost of eggs – the recipe calls for six –  this bake still comes in well under $10 for nine high protein servings. A bonus: The Spinach Cheese Bake can be made a day ahead, with no loss  of flavor or texture.

How I Did It

I glanced at an online recipe, then did my own thing. I subbed low fat cottage cheese for regular to lower the saturated fat. Instead of mixing cottage cheese with the eggs, I blended the ingredients for a much better appearance. For ease of preparation, I poured the egg-cheese- spinach mix into a 8×8” pan, rather than use the specified muffin tins. I added some dried dill, because dill reminds me of spring. Finally, I baked the recipe at a lower temperature because I didn’t read the instructions carefully😀 No worries – the end result was great.

Get Creative With This Recipe

Spinach Cheese Bake has a lot of room for improvisation. Substitute other green veggies for the spinach, making sure they are very dry before adding. Omit onion if you hate onion. Add different seasonings of your choice – when I make the bake again, I might omit the oregano, keep the dill and add a pinch of nutmeg to the mixture. My friend Amy, a good cook who dislikes cottage cheese, wondered whether she could sub ricotta. I’d say it’s definitely worth a try.

Easter Idea 

Chopped cooked turkey bacon, chopped ham or cooked turkey sausage crumbles would be a lovely add in to a bake that will be served for Easter brunch. I’d err on the side of using too little meat than too much, so as not to overload the light texture of the dish.

Passover Adaptations

Kosher for Passover ingredients can be hit or miss in stores.  The recipe can be adjusted accordingly – the only “must have” ingredients are eggs and cottage cheese. Whole eggs do not need special Passover designation and  Kosher for Passover cottage cheese usually is carried by major grocery store chains. Any favorite acceptable hard cheese can be substituted for the Parmesan if it is not available.

A Personal Favorite

I have a hard time fitting veggies into my breakfasts so I’m adding this dish to my meal rotation. A double serving (about 200 calories)  plus a piece of toast filled me up for half a day. I hope you, too, find it a useful, lovely recipe.

Enjoy!

(For my readers who live outside the United States, here’s a link to a measurement conversion table.)