Today is just a regular Saturday. I got up, did a load of laundry, and made a big lunch for my son heading out to a long day of life guarding class. While I was doing this, I nibbled on a bagel. Trying to shake the long week off, I head to the gym for a workout with Denis.
At the gym, we hopped on some treadmills for a good 40 minute run. Then we headed over to the free weights for a little strength training. Such a great start to the weekend! We zipped on back home, and were surprised that the workout didn’t leave us super hungry. Peculiar, I thought, as we usually have a pretty healthy appetite! But knowing post workout major food craving comes on fast and strong, I decided to make something when we got home anyway. Eating some protein after a workout is important. Since it was still morning, I thought eggs would work for the post workout nibbler. And what better way to eat eggs than a big honkin frittata? (Okay, maybe deviled eggs, but that’s a story for another day!). There were 2 goals here-a great post workout dish plus plenty of leftovers for my teenagers!
I went the fridge and pulled out 1/2 dozen eggs. Then I started digging. My frittata would be totally dependent on what was on hand. As Denis would say, I am the best refrigerator cook he knows. I can pull any meal together with the odds and ends in my kitchen. I dug into the pantry, the freezer, and the fridge. Here is what I pulled out:
4 pieces of uncooked leftover bacon
1/4 bag leftover frozen hash brown style potatoes
1/2 an onion
1 package frozen chopped spinach
jar of roasted red peppers
6 eggs
skim milk
A chunk of sharp cheddar cheese
First, I got my trusty ol’ cast iron skillet out. Then I turned the oven to 450 to preheat. Next, I cut the left over bacon into small pieces and tossed it into the skillet, which was on medium high heat. That started sizzling, and I cracked the eggs into a mixing bowl. To cut down on the fat, I used 4 whole eggs and 2 with the whites only. I whipped those while the bacon was cooking, and added about 3/4 cup skim milk. I let that sit. While I was working on that, Denis chopped 1/2 the onion, 1/2 the jar of roasted red peppers, and shredded about 1/2 cup of the cheese.
When the bacon was done, I scooped it out of the skillet and put it on some paper towels to soak up the grease. I tossed the chopped onion and the potatoes into the still hot skillet. That started cooking. I cooked it, stirring twice, until the onions were translucent and the potatoes soft, about 4-5 minutes. While that was cooking, I put the package of frozen spinach in the microwave to thaw, then squeezed it dry. After the onion and potatoes were cooked, in went the red peppers and spinach. I gave everything a good solid stir and let it heat through.
After about 2 minutes I gently poured the egg mixture into the pan. I gave the whole thing a good stir. Only one. That was it. The heat was still medium high, and I left the skillet on the heat until the eggs started to set, about 4 minutes. I sprinkled the cheese on top, then popped it into the oven for 10 minutes. I toasted some whole wheat bread to accompany the frittata. It was a yummy dish, I used up some leftovers, and it was ready in a snap. With all the vegetables I added, it was also packed with nutrients.
So what is in your pantry, your fridge, your freezer? Have some fun, get creative, and whip up something fun!
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