Ham, Spinach and Cheese Slice

I am always looking for lunchbox inspiration beyond the standard sammies and snacks. This week I ended up with loads of baby spinach that needed using up, so I put it to use in this ‘slice’ - it’s more like a quiche without the crust, and it is also gluten-free and low carb. You could bake the mixture in a muffin tin for individual servings if preferred.

Ingredients
5 free-range eggs
1 spring onion, finely chopped
120g baby spinach, roughly chopped
20g feta, crumbled
½ C grated Edam cheese
sea salt and pepper
1 T parsley, finely chopped
100g ham, sliced

Method
Add eggs to a bowl and mix well with a fork. Add the spring onion and spinach and combine well. The mixture may seem very spinach-y - this is ok. Stir through the feta, Edam cheese, salt and pepper, parsley and ham. Pour into a lined loaf tin and bake for 30 minutes at 180° Celsius. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before removing from the tin. Slice and serve with tomato chutney (or, like my kids, with tomato sauce). Slices can be kept in the fridge once cool and make a great addition to lunchboxes.

Spinach and Feta Stuffed Potatoes

I tried out an Ottolenghi recipe from 'Simply' for Gorgonzola Stuffed Potatoes (which was delicious) - this is my simplified version. 

Ingredients
8 medium red-skinned potatoes
100g baby spinach, finely chopped
125g sour cream
60g feta, crumbled
½C grated Edam cheese
2 cloves garlic, crushed
sea salt and pepper
1 T butter
¼ C milk
½C grated Parmesan

Method
Place potatoes on a baking tray and prick each one with a fork a couple of times. Spray with olive oil spray and bake at 180° Celsius for an hour. Prepare the spinach mixture - combine the chopped spinach, sour cream, feta, cheese, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl and set aside. Remove potatoes from oven and allow to cool for about ten minutes. Cut them in half and scoop out the flesh, leaving a thin layer of flesh in the skins. Spray the skins with olive oil and return to the oven for ten minutes. Mash the potato flesh with 1T butter and ¼ C milk, then combine with the spinach mixture. Take the skins out of the oven and place about 1-2 spoonfuls of the spinach/potato mixture into each skin. Top with some grated Parmesan and return to the oven for 10 minutes or until the Parmesan is golden. Serves 6 as a meal - or 10 as a side dish. You can adjust the recipe for a smaller quantity quite easily. 

Kale and Chilli Chips

Always a favourite in our house, this is a really easy way to use up any kale that has seen better days. 

Ingredients
4-5 leaves of kale, stalks removed
2 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
sea salt
chilli flakes

Method
Tear the kale into small pieces. On a lined baking tray, add the olive oil and crushed garlic. Then add the kale pieces, and turn them in the garlic and oil until they are well coated. Add a couple of pinches of sea salt and a sprinkle of chilli flakes to suit your taste. Bake at 180° Celsius for about ten minutes, turning once or twice while cooking. They should be slightly crispy but not overdone. Serve immediately. Serves 4 as a side.