Ah, springtime: a season for sunny days, fresh flowers, fruits and veggies in abundance. The omnivores and herbivores among us know how nice it is, after a winter of limp, steamed greens and root vegetables, to revel in the bounty of gorgeous and colorful foodstuffs we can now enjoy alfresco as mild weather and daylight linger ever longer into the evening. But what, oh what, shall we make with them?
This is where eggs come to rescue us from ubiquitous summer salads. The frittata, more commonly known as a brunch food, also makes for an excellent springtime supper. Plus, it’s the perfect vehicle for all those mushrooms, peppers and whatnot you carted home from the store or farmer’s market and are now shaking your head at in dismay (“no one can eat a salad that big!”). Skip the rabbit food (though you can throw together a nice little green salad on the side, if you like), maybe grab some crusty peasant bread while you’re still milling around at the market and voila: a simple, healthy and beautiful meal that is substantial yet still showcases local, seasonal food in all its rainbow glory.
Ingredients:
1 small carton egg substitute
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
2 bell peppers, sliced
1 tomato, diced
¼ cup olives, roughly chopped
1 zucchini squash, sliced into rounds
¼ cup feta or goat cheese, crumbled
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. garlic powder
salt and pepper, to taste
Recipe:
Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Grease a large casserole dish and set aside. Combine Eggbeaters or eggs substitute in a bowl with mustard, paprika, garlic powder and salt and pepper and whisk until blended. Spread prepared vegetables evenly in the casserole dish and pour egg mixture over vegetables. Bake for about 55 minutes; remove, sprinkle top with cheese, and continue baking 5-10 more minutes until the cheese is melted and the top of the frittata is lightly browned. Serve warm.
by Lauren Westerfield
