Cook it Fresh

Kale Frittata

GIVEAWAY FINISHED

I still had two foods left to finish off my series on pregnancy superfoods:  Eggs and leafy greens. What better way to combine these two foods than in a fluffy, cheesy frittata? Frittatas are the perfect brunch food. There is none of the flipping and folding that omelettes require and frittatas are the perfect way to use up any vegetables that may be lying around.

Kale has been described as “one of the healthiest vegetables on the planet” because it provides so many vitamins, minerals and a good dose of fiber. I love kale in a simple salad or added to soup, but frittata is a great way to prepare kale for those who don’t like green vegetables (as I didn’t during the first part of pregnancy!). I blanched the kale in boiling water before adding it to the frittata both to soften the texture and mellow out the flavor. The parmesan, garlic, and herbs add enough extra flavor to ensure that the kale is not overpowering.  I used two whole eggs and two egg whites in this recipe in order to cut down on the amount of fat and cholesterol while still keeping some of the richness that egg yolks lend. I also wanted to keep some of the egg yolks for nutritional reasons. Although egg yolks do have a lot of cholesterol, they also contain many important vitamins and nutrients including DHA, which is important for developing brains.

Before we get to the recipe, let me tell you about the giveaway! I hope you’ve enjoyed this series of recipes using superfoods that are great for pregnant women, nursing moms (or anyone, really). If you are interested in discovering more tasty, nutritious recipes using healthy ingredients, I have a great cookbook for you! I was excited to find a cookbook at the beginning of my pregnancy that had lots of great information about nutrition during pregnancy as well as some very tasty recipes. Feel Good Foods for Pregnancy is a very helpful guide to nutrition during pregnancy, nursing and beyond. This giveaway will include both the cookbook and a bottle of Burt’s Bees Body Oil, which is great to use during pregnancy or to keep baby’s skin soft and sweet. To enter the giveaway, just leave a comment on this post telling me what your favorite superfood is and how you like to prepare it (links to recipes would be great!). For an extra entry, like Cook it Fresh on facebook or leave a comment on the facebook page. All entries must be in before noon on September 12th. Here is a list of the superfoods that I included in this series: Eggs, salmon, sweet potatoes, lean meat, colorful vegetables, leafy greens, yogurt, walnuts, whole grains, beans, berries.

Kale Frittata

Makes 4 small servings or 2 large servings

Ingredients:

1/2 bunch Kale

1/2 Tablespoon canola oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 scallions, thinly sliced

2 whole eggs plus 2 egg whites

salt and freshly ground pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 cup finely grated parmesan, divided

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Blanch the kale in a medium pot of boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain the kale and squeeze between paper towels to remove most of the water. Chop kale coarsely and set aside.

2. Heat oil in an 8-inch ovenproof skillet over medium heat (I used a cast iron skillet). Add the garlic and scallions and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the kale and saute for 2 more minutes.

3. Whisk together the eggs, thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and half of the parmesan. Pour eggs over the kale mixture in the skillet and cook, without stirring, until eggs just begin to set, about 4 minutes.

4. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes or until eggs are completely set. Sprinkle with the rest of the parmesan and cut into wedges to serve.