I have been in such a rut meal-wise. With moving and starting 2 new jobs, life has been busy and meals have been more about survival than creativity. I don't get nearly as excited about the daily maintenance form of cooking as I do about trying new things, but most weeknights, that just doesn't happen. To try to get out of this rut, I took advantage of school vacation to pick up a few cookbooks at the library. I chose a Barefoot Contessa book, as I have heard good things about Ina Garten in the past. The cookbook is lovely, using whole foods for ingredients, and most of the recipes are highly adaptable to my preferred primal-esque style of cooking and eating.
Due to making an angel food cake for Noah's birthday, I had a bowl full of 12 egg yolks sitting in the fridge, waiting to be used. I was going to make a quiche, but decided to try a recipe entitled potato basil frittata instead, in an effort to break out of the above-mentioned rut I've been in. It was one of those unusual moments in which I just happened to have the necessary ingredients on hand, including 2 items I don't always have - half a tub of ricotta cheese and fresh basil - to make the recipe without cutting any corners. I did substitute sharp cheddar for the Gruyere cheese called for in the original recipe, as I did not have Gruyere on hand, and am not entirely sure the kids would like the strong taste. This frittata turns out wonderfully. Where quiche can be a bit too eggy for my liking, this recipe is almost cake-like in consistency - dry and slightly spongy, but in a good way. The fresh basil added a crisp, clean flavor, which complimented the heaviness of the eggs and cheese. The fried potatoes on the bottom added a nice savory flavor to the whole thing. We had it for our evening meal, with a generous helping of fresh, green salad drizzled with balsamic and olive oil. I definitely plan to add this in to our regular meal rotation. I like that it's meat-free and lower carb. I tweaked the recipe to make it gluten-free, as well. I'd like to experiment with different flavors - sundried tomato, feta, and fresh thyme? Onion, peppers, and olive? How about sweet potatoes on the bottom instead of white? I will update with any successful experiments! Ingredients 4 Tbsp butter 2 cups potatoes, peeled and diced 8 extra large eggs (I used my 12 leftover yolks and added 2 more whole eggs) 15 oz ricotta cheese 8 oz cheese, grated 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp black pepper 3/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves 1/4 cup brown rice flour (or all-purpose flour if you're not gluten free) 3/4 tsp baking powder 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt the butter in a cast-iron skillet or other oven-proof omelet pan (10 inch) over medium low heat. Add the potatoes and fry them until cooked, stirring often, about 10-15 minutes. 2. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs. Stir in ricotta, grated cheese, salt, pepper, and basil. Sprinkle flour and baking powder on top and stir in. 3. Pour the egg mixture over the cooked potatoes and place in oven. Bake until brown and puffy, about 50 minutes. A knife inserted into the middle will come out clean when it's done. This tastes great reheated, too. Cut into slices and store individually wrapped portions for breakfast on busy mornings.
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AuthorI'm Emily. I currently work in online education management, but I also have a Masters degree in Nutritional Sciences (my true passion). In addition, I am a mom, cook, avid reader, novice gardener, and enjoy all kinds of outdoor activities. On my blog, you will find articles on food, fitness, weight management, and eating issues. ALL recipes on my blog are gluten-free. Many are low-carbohydrate. Most are grain free. Enjoy! Categories
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June 2019
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