i currently could work up a sweat while bowling. that’s how out of shape i am. or feel. i get winded just from breathing alone.

what amazes me most is that i have consistently worked out five days a week for the last few years or so (before that my version of working out was any sort of movement that my finger made on the remote) and when i recently stopped working out for three weeks due to feeling like a bag of poo, it’s like i reverted to my former coach potato self.

WHYyyyyyyyy is this a thing.

well it really shouldn’t be, if it is a thing. and it’s a thing with me. which is also sort of expected. i just look at cottage cheese and it’s like,’ let’s be best friends, and can we chill on your thighs… k thanks bye’.

wompsicle.

but since i am no longer living on a diet staple of premium crackers, chicken broth & some ‘canada dry’, i am back in the kitchen, ready to taste something other than a cardboard box and meat flavored water.

and i started with one of my favorite comfort foods, egg casserole.

usually i shy away from making anything with the word ‘casserole’ because i instantly think of heavy cream and mayonnaise being key ingredients. which don’t get me wrong, i love me some mayo and extra heavy cream, however, this doesn’t work for me on a day to day basis. i need to reserve those special meals with those scale tilting ingredients, for well, special events. or days where i just don’t give a flying rats arse.

so instead i wanted to develop a comfort food staple but completely lightened up, without totally sacrificing everything i usually love about the guilty pleasure (think fluffy texture, heavy flavor, creamy goodness). though this definitely isn’t as indulgent as the classic, it definitely comes in close, and it does the trick. really well. paul agreed. he liked it a lot. or at least he told me he did so i would keep making him food. who knows. we’ll go with the first one. Low Carb + Gluten Free Egg & Ham Breakfast Casserole

also: what’s your favorite comfort food meal? especially in the spring! i’d love to try and recreate a healthier version 🙂 one of my favorite kitchen challenges (that doesn’t always work, but when it does, it good).

Recipe Notes:

You may pre bake your spaghetti squash ahead of time, if you’d like. I did two days before because, well, I got sidetracked. But then this made putting this meal together super last minute and under 10 minutes. Total win. If you have never baked spaghetti squash check out this recipe with a little insight on how to do it.

The great thing about a casserole is that you can literally throw whatever you want inside it. So if you don’t have the ingredients I list below on hand, feel free to improvise. Though I highly recommend ham as your meat ingredient because I mean… ham and eggs. need i say more?

I use whole milk instead of heavy cream. This really helps in terms of calorie and fat content. And you don’t want to slim down too much in fat (like non fat milk) because you want this to be moist and fluffy!

I use 1/2 tbsp of butter, so barely any. You may use oil as a substitute, though I don’t think butter is bad for you. And 1/2 tbsp for this ENTIRE casserole is pretty much nothing.

ALSO THIS DISH NEEDS TO SET OVERNIGHT. Just like the classic! This will help flavor and develop that fluffy texture that you WANT. You honestly will have hardly any idea spaghetti squash was used in this.

Low Carb + Gluten Free Egg & Ham Breakfast Casserole

 

Author: Julia Calleo

Nutrition Information

• Serves: 6-8

• Serving size: ⅛ of dish
• Calories: 210

• Fat: 13g
• Carbohydrates: 10.4g
• Fiber: 1.3g
• Protein: 13.9g

Recipe type: Breakfast

Prep time:  12 hours

Cook time:  1 hour

Total time:  13 hours

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A healthy low carb and gluten free spin on a classic egg & ham breakfast casserole. Incredibly flavorful and light and fluffy in texture. You'll have no idea that it's healthy!

Ingredients

• 1 Baked Spaghetti Squash, scooped
• ½ tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp minced onion
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• ½ cup torn low sodium ham (deli sliced, or chunks work as well)
• 8 eggs
• 1½ cups whole milk
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 1 cup shredded cheese (mexican blend preferred or cheddar)

Instructions

1. In a medium skillet over medium heat add your butter and melt.
2. Next add your minced garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
3. Add your green pepper & onion and cook until onions are almost translucent, about 6 minutes.
4. Set aside.
5. Next in a casserole dish add your spaghetti squash, pepper & onion mix, and ham. Mix together so they are evenly distributed throughout the dish. Set aside.
6. In a large mixing bowl add your eggs, milk and all spices. Whisk together until blended.
7. Pour egg mixture over casserole dish.
8. Top with cheese.
9. Cover with foil and place into the fridge and allow to dish to set overnight.
10. Once dish has set, remove from fridge and preheat oven to 375 (allow dish to sit at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before placing into oven to ensure better and more even cooking time).
11. Poke tiny holes into the foil and place casserole into oven on a middle rack.
12. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake another 15 minutes, or until dish has set.
13. Set oven to broil and broil casserole dish for about 3 minutes or until eggs develop a little bit of golden color in spots.
14. Remove, let cool for five minutes before serving.
15. Top with whatever you want (spices, fresh herbs, plain yogurt). Eat!

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