Kale, Spinach, and Feta Frittata

January 21, 2015 by Christine Skari

Hello, everyone! Today I’m excited to share a delicious frittata recipe (<3 feed me all the eggs) from my friend Heather who offered to write up a guest post for me! Enjoy!

When you think of the ideal brunch food, what’s the first thing that comes to mind?

As a quick test, we asked our close friends and family just to see what they’d say. And more often than not, the answers were pretty standard. The two most common answers we got were eggs benedict or a continental breakfast. Now these brunch foods are delicious, don’t get me wrong, but they won’t win any prizes for being the most healthy anytime soon.

But what if I told you there’s something even better? A food perfect for a brunch that’s super healthy as well?

Enter the frittata!

Surprisingly, you’d be hard-pressed to find frittatas on the menu in your typical Italian restaurant (let alone your typical brunch place), but the frittata is as quintessentially Italian as it gets. It’s the dish regularly made in every Italian home yet, despite its elegance, doesn’t makes it out of the home cook’s kitchen. What a shame.

To call a frittata an “Italian omelette” would only be doing it half justice. Yes, egg is the main ingredient, but the methodology and cooking techniques for making a frittata make it a much more delicate and exquisite preparation than the regular omelette would.

One key distinction between a frittata and an omelette is the point at which the ingredients are mixed in with the egg. For a regular omelette, you’ll first add the egg into the pan followed by the ingredients as the egg is already cooking. For a frittata, however, you mix the ingredients together before they meet the pan, and only after the flavors of your ingredients have marinated together and flavored your eggs as well.

Another major difference is how to cook the frittata to absolute fluffy perfection. Whereas the omelette may not ever leave the stovetop, a frittata is best either baked or broiled in the oven after a few minutes of simmering on low stovetop heat.

Beautiful in Its Simplicity

What makes the frittata especially beautiful is how truly simple it really is. For the most part, so long as you follow a few simple steps, any types of ingredients or toppings can go into a frittata. It’s a great way to use up all your leftovers too!

And it’s super healthy. Since the dish is egg-based, you’ve by default got a great source of high protein, healthy HDL cholesterol (the “good” kind), and very useful vitamins and minerals. And when you add ingredients like kale and spinach, you’ve just hit your daily quota on key nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin K, magnesium and potassium too!

Generally, it’s a good idea to slightly pre-cook your ingredients first, especially the vegetable ingredients. Briefly cooking your ingredients removes water content that would otherwise leave the frittata soggy. Without this water content to weigh it down, you’ll get that much-desired fluffy and airy texture to the dish.

For this recipe (and for most any other type of frittata we’ll cook), we definitely recommend using a cast iron pan if you have one. Cooking with a cast iron makes it just so simple to transfer the frittata from the stovetop to your oven without any headaches of switching from stovetop skillet to an oven-safe pan. On top of that, cast iron cookware makes for a great and rustic look for when you serve the frittata, too.

For those that can only bake without broiling, the solution is simple. Instead of turning on the step in the recipe where you turn on the broiler, just add another ~3-4 minutes to the oven baking time, and you’ll get the same desired result.

There you have it! It’s so incredibly simple to make a perfect frittata, but it’s something that will have your friends and family talking for a long time afterward.

And soon enough, you’ll be in complete agreement with us that it’s the best brunch option out there.

What do you like to add to your frittata? Share your favorite ingredients with a comment below

Cyrus and Heather are the food enthusiasts behind Arousing Appetites. Together, they explore diverse cuisines, recipes, ingredients, spices, and techniques from all over the world. Want some worldly flair in your cooking life? Join their newsletter and savor vibrant flavors today! You can also find them on Facebook and Pinterest.

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Italian Turkey Meatball Tortellini Soup

December 1, 2014 by Christine Skari

Hello from the road! I’m currently typing up this post as Kyle drives us back to Santa Barbara and back to our approaching finals. Eeek. I am, however, comforted by the weird mix of country music, The Killers, Taylor Swift, and Bob Segar I have blasting on the sound system and the homemade pumpkin spice latte I have next to me. It’s the little things in life, no?

So anyways, let’s talk soup. And not just any type of soup, THIS lightened-up Italian Turkey Meatball Tortellini Soup which has got me s-i-n-g-i-n-g happy songs of filling, belly-warming goodness.

I’ve got all the bases covered in this recipe. We have the most adorable mini turkey meatballs that are supahh fast and easy since we cheat (shhhhhhhhh) and make them out of packaged italian turkey sausage, a flavorful base made out of chicken stock and tomatoes, softened kale that cooks into the soup, veggies galore, and, of course, the star of the show: cheesy tortellini <3. Can we pause a moment and give a big hallelujah to putting pasta in soup? No need for all that inner anguish on which to have for dinner (just me?) because, helllloooo, why not have both? Your raging internal food debate has been solved. WELCOME!

Not only does this recipe pack in a pretty powerful flavor punch, but it also is lightened-up and chock full of veggies and lean protein. I don’t know about you, but I’m still in a food coma from Thanksgiving and the insane prime rib dinner that I went to on Saturday with Kyle, his family, and his little brother’s girlfriend, Taylor.

Now here’s a conundrum for you: if you go to a fancy event and don’t post a selfie/picture of it, did it really happen?

Probably not.

What was I saying?

Oh yaaaaa, SOUP! Made healthier and perfect for the chilly weather. Or, you know, the 75 degree and sunny weather that California has been sporting. Someone tell me what winter is like, please.

Cheesy Quinoa & Veggie Stuffed Bell Peppers

November 17, 2014 by Christine Skari

Delicious, healthy, and so easy! This vegetarian recipe for cheesy quinoa & veggie stuffed bell peppers is the perfect way to lighten up your meal without sacrificing flavor!

Howwwwdy ho party peeeeeps. How is this fine Monday treating ya? I’m feeling a bit blue since it’s back to a busy schedule and I have a full week ahead of me in terms of class and studying. The one positive note is that I only have one more midterm to get through before Thanksgiving break, which means just one more midterm until I’m free to cook/bake/craft/photograph to my heart’s content!

And by that I mean I’ll probably be just sit on the couch and veg out with my good pal Netflix. #realtalk #Netflix=bae.

In the meantime, I’ve been spending most of my time in the garage, which we’ve converted into a study room of sorts. I’d take a picture to show ya’ll, but it’s a disaster and I’m a little embarrassed to show it off 😯 . We’ve managed to comfortably fit 6 full-sized desks among the piles of boxes, extra bikes, and suitcases in a make-shift office, and while it’s not all that pretty, it’s incredibly functional. We have grand plans to make it more home-y and happier by putting in a rug and twinkle lights, but amidst the 43584119 midterms that come with the quarter system, no one has had any time to decorate. One day!

Anyways, when I’m not studying in the garage, I’m at the kitchen table getting constant whifs of the scrumpditiliumptious creations my housemates have been cooking up, one of which is a tasty and fun baked bell pepper that Lana (our foreign exchange student from New Zealand) makes. While her version is made with ground meat, I chose to go down the veggie-filled route and made my own version that’s filled with herbed quinoa, black beans, onions, sweet corn, cheese, and plenty of other goodies to add extra fresh flavor and texture! I have to admit, I’m usually a pretty big meat girl (my Norwegian steak and potato side demands it), but this recipe totally satisfied me and didn’t leave me with any cravings! It’s satisfying without needing any meat, ridiculously filling due to all the fiber and protein from the quinoa, and is oh so easy to make!

You even get to package the filling in an edible container. Hot diggity dog!

While I chose to use these fillings, the world is your oyster. Feel free to add in ground turkey/chicken/beef/pork (just make sure to cook it first) and any veggies that tug at your heartstrings. #noveggiesleft behind #whyamIhashtaggingsomuch . For this particular combination, the nutrition comes out to just around 300 calories per pepper with a whopping 11g of fiber and 14g of protein.

Eat up!

Shrimp Wonton Soup

September 24, 2014 by Christine Skari

A comforting and delicious recipe for shrimp wonton soup that’s not only easy, but healthy and filling with only 110 calories for a huge serving!

Are you hungry yet?

Specifically, are you hungry for a healthy and comforting soup that’s filled to the brim with flavor and steamy-hot homemade shrimp wontons? Yeah? Me too.

I know I mentioned this in my last post, but I’ve been in a bit of a food blogging funk for the last two weeks or so. A combination of diving into the portrait photography world and a weekend camping trip in Big Bear have sucked up most of my time and interest, and to be honest, cooking in a hot kitchen just doesn’t seem to be too appealing to me. Yup, California is embracing the Fall with 90 degree weather, which is putting a major damper on my plans for #OMGpumpkinspicelattesEVERYDAY and cold-weather food.

Sometimes, though, you get a craving at 7:30 in the morning for a big steamy bowl of shrimp wonton soup and nothing, not even hothothot weather or the fact that you haven’t had your morning coffee yet so you can barely type out a text messages canceling your morning gym session with your boyfriend because you’re taking a “rest day” from all the strenuous chewing you’ve been doing the last few days (don’t want to exert myself too much, you know how it is) can stop you from making it. What am I even saying?

Sorry, it’s hard to concentrate with photos like this staring you in the face. Like, COME TO MAMA.

This is one of those recipes that’s just plain good. It fills you up and makes you feel full, but not overly weighed down since it’s made with a broth base, filled with perfectly cooked fresh veggies, and a lean shrimp filling. One bite into a tender wonton with a small sip of broth and trust me, you will be in lightened-up comfort food heaven! Talk about a perfect combination of health and deliciousness- this is my kind of meal.

I know wontons can seem a bit intimidating to make at first, but they’re easy as pie. You can find pre-made wonton skins in the refrigerated asian section at most grocery stores and they honestly come together in a flash!

One small note with this recipe, it should be served immediately or within 30 minutes of cooking the wontons in the broth or else they will absorb too much of the liquid if left to soak! Eaters beware!

Chorizo Huevos Rancheros

September 9, 2014 by Christine Skari

A crunchy baked tortilla that’s chock full of fresh veggies, flavorful chorizo, and topped with a perfectly cooked egg! These Chorizo Huevos Rancheros are the perfect way to start your day!

I never want summer to end. The toasty warm weather, relaxing vacations in Hawaii, the lazy mornings spent chopping fresh veggies to make a delicious and hearty breakfast. In other words, I want every day to be chorizo huevos rancheros day!

I’m going to be honest here and throw out that I’ve been more of an oatmeal-for-breakfast kinda girl for the last few years, and this is one of the first times I’ve gone the extra mile to make something savory to start the day. It’s not that I necessarily enjoy sweeter things for breakfast more, it’s just that I have my whole oatmeal routine down.

It goes something like this:

Take out the Quaker oats container. Throw a few handfuls into a big bowl, add water and a sliced banana. Microwave for two minutes (laziness reigns supreme when I haven’t had my morning latte yet). Stir in a splash of vanilla extract and a mountain of cinnamon and sprinkle brown sugar on top. Done and done. Easy as that.

While these do take a bit more time than my morning oats, they are so worth it. The crunch from the baked corn tortilla that’s supplemented by a giant burst of flavor from all the chopped veggies. That drippy egg yolk that gloriously breaks in slow-mo and drizzles over every part of the dish. Oh! And good amount of queso to top the whole thing off and add a soft and creamy texture. Can you hear my heart pounding?? I think I’m in love.

I pass these off as a breakfast food, but c’mon, look at how versatile they are! They’re a cross between a deconstructed omelet and crunchy taco, which automatically allows them to traverse the breakfast-lunch-dinner boundary.

As usual, I had Kyle by my side throughout the cooking process to help be my official taste tester and overeater. It’s a hard job, but he’s always up for a challenge. I actually put him to more work than usual this time and had him cook up the eggs and left him busy trying to form a “good-looking egg”, which he obviously took to mean perfectly circular. Kyle is the type of guy that gets borderline obsessed with trying to figure out how to fix or make things a certain way. Like I mentioned before, the engineer in him gets him fixated on any and all projects. Sunny side up eggs are no exception.

25 minutes later and with scraps of egg and cookie cutters lying around (don’t ask, he tried to use them as a mold), I forced him to give up. While the perfectly circular egg eluded us, this recipe was still a big success ;).