Frittata.  What a funny word.  
Before I get into that, I must give you guys two updates.  First, remember when my Lululemon pants ripped after 4+ years of hard workouts?  Well, per your suggestions, I took them back to Lulu, and they offered to send them to their seamstress to sew!  Apparently all of their garments have a lifetime guarantee.  You hear that?  LIFETIME.  Worth every penny!  I haven’t picked them up yet, but it’s a guarantee that their seamstress did a better job that I could ever dream of (I hate to sew…something I also inherited from my Mom).  Now that is customer service!  And second, my apartment.  My landlord sent me my lease in the mail, and….wait for it….didn’t raise my rent.  Not even a dime!  Below market value by at least $300. I was already planning on resigning, but now it’s even more of a no-brainer.  Seventh year, here I come.

OK, now back to that funny word.  Frittata.  If you aren’t familiar with this F word, a frittata is an Italian egg dish that can basically be thought of as a crustless quiche.  What makes frittatas so amazing is their versatility.  You can add basically anything to the eggs of a frittata – veggies, meat, cheese, even pasta!  Which means that as long as you have eggs in your fridge, you can whip up breakfast, lunch, or dinner in no time.  That’s the other thing about frittatas – they make sense any time of the day.  Serve with hashbrowns and fruit and toast for breakfast or with a salad for lunch or dinner – you’ve got a meal.

I often make frittatas after particularly unhealthy weekends, like the one I had a few weeks ago celebrating Pam’s upcoming wedding.  They are light yet satisfying, chock full of veggies, and full of flavor.  In just 30 minutes and with minimal effort, you have yourself a healthy, tasty meal – and if you live alone like I do, one that will last you all week!  This post from The Kitchn does an excellent job of explaining the building blocks of a perfect frittata – or better yet, just keep reading!

Although there are an infinite number of combinations, I often gravitate to my favorite frittata combo:  bacon (duh) and leeks!  If you’re not familiar, leeks are part of the onion family and look like green onions on steroids.  The white part of the leek is the good part.  I’m sure there is something you can do with the tough green parts, but sadly, I toss them.  Leeks are somewhat high maintenance, as you do have to soak them to remove the sand that can bury inside the leek.  Just slice and place in a bowl of cold water – the sand will sink to the bottom and you can scoop up the leeks with a mesh strainer or slotted spoon and pat dry.

I also added peppers and spinach to this frittata, since I had them on hand.  And no egg dish is complete without cheese!  This one featured smoked gouda, which I buy as a block and grate by hand.  I’m no stranger to bagged shredded cheese, but sometimes, off the block is just called for.  And the secret ingredients: mustard, worcestershire sauce (not pictured), and cumin!


Add the eggs, cook on the stove, and then finish off under the broiler for a nice golden brown deliciousness!

Served on a rainy Sunday night with a toasted whole wheat english muffin (Trader Joe’s) and a green salad.  Just what I needed after a weekend of jello shots and penis rice krispie treats!

Sarah’s Favorite Frittata
Makes ~5-6 servings

Ingredients

~6 slices of bacon
2 leeks, sliced thin and cleaned
1 pepper, thinly sliced
couple handfuls spinach
6-8 eggs – more for a thicker frittata, fewer for a thinner one
3/4 cup cheese (the stronger the better)
splash of milk
~1 tsp cumin
couple splashes of worcestershire sauce
~1 tsp mustard
salt & pepper

Preparation

1.  Heat oven to 400.  Slice bacon into ~1/4 inch strips and cook until done
2.  Saute leeks and pepper for ~5 mins in large cast-iron or oven proof skillet
3.  While veggies are sauteing, whisk eggs in large bowl.  Add remaining ingredients and whisk to combine.
3.  Add spinach to leeks and pepper, saute until cooked down.
4.  Add bacon, then pour egg mixture over veggie mixture, being careful to evenly distribute.
5.  Cook on medium-high heat for ~five minutes, until the edges set and the egg starts to cook in the middle.
6.  Transfer to oven for ~5-8 more minutes, until eggs are set.  For a nice golden brown top, turn the broiler on just for a minute or two, being careful not to burn the eggs.
7.  Let sit for a few minutes before slicing.  Enjoy!

What’s your go-to healthy meal?