Veggie Quinoa Frittata

Frittata is an Italian egg-based dish similar to an omelette or crustless quiche, enriched with additional ingredients such as meats, cheese, vegetables or pasta. It may be flavored with herbs. They are so versatile that I never make them the same way twice and they are perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It is a great way to get more veggies into my family’s diet and everyone in my house is pretty happy when I make them. The kids especially like a slice with a little ketchup drizzled on top.

Pre-cook 1/3 cup of quinoa in 1/3 cup of water for 15 minutes until the water is absorbed. Set aside.

This frittata was a veggie version. But, sometimes I check out my fridge to see if there is any leftover ham, chicken or pork. Any leftover meat or veggies are perfect for a frittata!! Cube it and throw that in too. Otherwise, pick any veggies that you have on hand and chop them.

I was pretty excited that I was able to harvest my first batch of asparagus from the garden today. Since it is a small handful, it will not be enough to serve for dinner, so into my frittata it goes!!

Use a medium-sized fry pan that can be placed in the oven, under a broiler. Sautee the veggies in a tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil until softened.

Once the veggies are done, spread them out evenly in the fry pan and place the cooked quinoa on top. Quinoa is perfect because it will settle to the bottom of the dish and give it some crunch, almost like a crust. This is the perfect time to add leftover meat.

Wisk 5 eggs in a small mixing bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Gently pour the eggs over the veggies and quinoa evenly. I strategically placed a few slices of sweet baby red peppers to fancy it up. This is the perfect time to sprinkle a little shredded cheese or grated parmesan if you’d like.

Cook over medium heat until the eggs are almost completely set.