A few days ago I walked in the door around 9 p.m. after a very long day and found myself face to face with a cooking conundrum.
A living, breathing condundrum. There she was lying in my bed, drinking my “emergency” bottle of chardonnay, wearing my bathrobe and watching a Lifetime movie on my TV. The conundrum, better known as my best friend Stephanie, was complaining of hunger.
She had flown in from Chicago for a last-minute trip and needed a place to stay. I had a crazy non-stop day that ended with a business dinner, but I had promised her I would “whip her up something delicious” when I got home. So there she was, starving, expecting something awesome from the Badass Foodie.
It was a welcome challenge to cook for a fresh palette who was completely at my culinary mercy! Like my own personal episode of Iron Chef! Except instead of Alton Brown and Kitchen Stadium, I had a tipsy friend and a cheesy Lifetime movie soundtrack.
However, my joy was temporarily diffused when I opened my fridge to search for a protein to build my dish around. On this particular evening, my fridge contained a seafood market: frozen shrimp, smoked salmon, canned tuna, frozen calamari. Stephanie has been decidedly anti-seafood since I’ve known her. So the fish options weren’t going to fly.
Then, happily, I saw salvation: My trusty carton of Egg Beaters. An idea in mind, I frantically began pealing through my vegetable drawer, which contained a motley crew of characters: a handful of mushrooms, baby spinach and some chopped leftover bell pepper. Perfect!
I had all the workings for one of the most versatile dishes in my arsenal. A frittata!
Now, before you shake your head, annoyed at me for even suggesting a dish that sounds like something you would eat in a café with your grandmother, hear me out. A frittata, as I explained to Stephanie when she came into the kitchen foraging for more Chardonnay, is really a sister to the omelet. It is cousin to the quiche.
The frittata takes two great Badass elements - vegetables and eggs – and melds them into a high-protein, high-fiber meal that is quick to prepare, versatile, and really really tasty. Protein keeps you full longer, fuels your muscles and is essential for building and maintaining that Badass body. And if you eat a healthy protein FIRST, you will be less likely to convince yourself that a pint of Cherry Garcia is a healthy dinner.
Many of you probably have the necessary ingredients in your fridge to make a Badass Frittata right now! And it's just as good -- and good for you -- when eaten for dinner as for breakast.
I’ve included the “recipe” I used on that particular evening below. But you don’t need to buy exactly these ingredients. Actually, I’d rather you not! The frittata is all about personally tailored creativity. Use what's in your crisper drawer, and get thee to the stove!
Remember: Your journey to getting (and maintaining) that Badass is about fitting it into your lifestyle. If your healthy recipes involve lots of specialty ingredients and extra time, or if you don’t enjoy eating them, you'll never be able to maintain it.
The Cast of Characters
• 1 – 2 Tsp of healthy oil (olive is ideal, but canola, grape seed or sunflower work, too)
• Half an onion, chopped
• Garlic clove, minced
• I cup, mushrooms, chopped
• 1 leek section, rinsed, chopped and separated
• 1 handful (approximately 2 cups) baby spinach
• 1 cup egg substitute (4 servings), or 2 eggs plus 2 egg whites
• ½ ounce cheddar and Parmesan cheese, grated
• Salt and pepper to taste
1. Preheat your oven’s broiler to 425 degrees, or to the “high” setting.
2. Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a large non-stick, oven-safe skillet on medium setting. I used grape seed because of its high smoke point, but you can use any you have on hand.
3. Add onion and garlic, allowing to sautee for a few minutes. Add vegetables and sautee until onions “sweat” and become clear. Sautee your sturdy vegetables in the oil first, adding the more fragile vegetables after. Season with salt and pepper to taste, though err on the side of caution, as you’ll also season your eggs.
4. Meanwhile, whisk together egg substitute or eggs, milk, cheddar cheese and season with salt and pepper.
5. To the eggs or egg substitute, I add about half an ounce (the size of a dice or sugar cube) of cheddar cheese. I also have some grated Parmesan on hand that I’ll sprinkle in the eggs but also add to the top of the frittata later. Any cheese would work here, such as feta, gouda, manchego or even goat cheese, but I prefer cheddar. I also add a splash of milk and season with salt and pepper.
6. Add spinach (if using) to skillet and allow to wilt – this happens quickly!
7. When vegetables have sufficiently cooked through and spinach is wilted, add egg mixture. Don’t move your ingredients around too much. Keep your heat at medium-low and allow to cook on the stovetop. Run your spatula around the outside of the frittata a few times during cooking.
8. Cook for about 10 minutes, until the frittata appears be set and cooked almost all the way through. The top may still jiggle a bit, but that’s OK.
9. Sprinkle any remaining cheddar and grated Parmesean on the top of the frittata. Add any additional seasonings, chives, and pepper if you wish.
10. Carefully move entire pan from the stovetop into the pre-heated oven, with the rack as far up as your oven will allow so it browns quickly. This should only take a few minutes. When it’s a bit toasty brown and set on the top, it’s done.
11. Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes. Flip it out onto a plate so that what was the bottom is now the top, showing all the beautifully sautéed vegetables. Slice up and serve!
Chef's note: I’m a condiment and sauce lover, so I usually add a tomato-based sauce. For Stephanie I mixed a teaspoon of ketchup with about ¼ cup of greek yogurt and some salsa, which I served on the side. Salsa works, too.
How do you like your frittata? Some other options:
- Ham and Cheddar Cheese
- Leek, Mushroom and Potatoes
- Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese
- Go Greek! Think tomatoes, feta cheese and bell peppers and olives
So, how did my last-minute frittata fare with the hungry best friend? After inhaling the entire thing, she looked at me with surprise, gave it an enthusiastic (and genuine) two thumbs up, and said she’d “eat it again even if I had non-healthy options and normal people food.” Victory! I took an egg-averse, somewhat picky eater, and made her a Frittata fan!
Ok, Badasses. My work here is done. Until next time, that is… Until then, I’ll stock up on more "emergency" Chardonnay.
Coming tomorrow: 5 Must-Haves for a Badass Home Gym!
