Green Machine Zucchini and Spinach Frittata

A few years ago, I made my first frittata. I was NOT a fan. I found it bland, boring, and dry, dry, dry. Every bite felt like an eternity, and that eternity tasted like straight-up cardboard. (OK I’m being a bit dramatic. It wasn’t THAT bad, but I definitely didn’t make another one for a very long time.)

But my ENTIRE FRITTATA WORLD has been turned upside down. I discovered this AMAZING method to making it super moist and flavorful- kind of like a quiche. I’ve made three frittatas in the past two weeks after figuring out this technique!

Best of all? It takes ten minutes to make. TEN MINUTES. Boom. Dinner. Done.

This Green Machine Frittata is filled with yummy, good for you green veggies- zucchini, spinach, cilantro, and scallions- and topped with avocado, for a super tasty and super healthy breakfast, lunch, or dinner! Not to mention it makes excellent leftovers for lunches to take to work or school. And it’s Whole30/Paleo approved, too!

What I’m trying to tell you is: this frittata is perfection.

A quick (ok actually, kind of long, but important) word on the Whole30. If you follow my blog, you know that I did the Whole30 challenge in January- basically, I ate Paleo for 30 days. By now, it’s all done.

So if it’s over, why all the Paleo/Whole30 recipes, you ask?

Well, the Whole30 made me feel FANTASTIC. I lost 7 pounds without even trying in that month, never felt bloated, my energy was way up, and after eating I never felt sluggish. Or too full. Or too hungry. I had more patience when dealing with my students (in real life, I’m a high school teacher), and slept better. I could practically feel the nutrient-dense foods coursing through my veins at any given moment. I felt unstoppable. They call this part of the Whole30 “Tiger Blood.” And boy, did I have a lot of Tiger Blood.

Then, I started reintroducing all the eliminated foods: legumes, dairy, grains, sugar, and alcohol. I found out that alcohol- even one glass of wine- makes me not sleep well at night. I found that grains make me SUPER bloated. I found that sugar gives me energy slumps, and throughout the reintroduction process I gained 3 pounds back.

So, I’ve clearly learned a few things. First- that my body responds very well to a Paleo diet. Second- that I really like feeling good and I feel good when I eat Paleo. Third- that certain kinds of foods make me feel bad, and I don’t like feeling bad. Fourth- and this is important- I still like wine and goat cheese and pizza and I’ll be damned if I never have any of these things ever again.

Moving forward, I plan to try and stick to a mostly Paleo diet. At least for a while. I just can’t justify eating too many foods that make me feel “icky.”

You are going to notice that the direction of Bowl of Delicious goes with my diet. I’ll be posting a lot of Paleo/Whole30 recipes, because I post about what I eat. Does that mean I’ll never post another muffin recipe again? Of course not! Muffins are delicious. And I wouldn’t want to deprive you, my loyal readers, of delicious things.

But the other, most important thing I’ve learned throughout this process: Paleo and Whole30 recipes are SO. FREAKING. GOOD. I’m not kidding, guys. I’ve been enjoying eating food even more than I usually do (which is saying a lot, because I love eating). I’m discovering a whole new world of cooking that is simultaneously challenging and exciting, and always tastes amazing. And if I can create recipes that both taste awesome and make you feel awesome, I certainly will!

So. I hope you don’t mind me bringing you along on this journey of Paleo food discovery.

Oh yes, I was talking about the frittata perfection. But now I’ve rambled on and on so I’ll leave you with a brief summary of the AMAZING method of cooking a frittata to be moist and delicious, rather than dry and bland.

First, you’re going to need a cast iron skillet or other oven safe skillet. Got one? Good.

Then, you’re going to cook some stuff in the skillet. Saute the zucchini in some butter (or EVOO) and salt and pepper until browned and cooked. Add the spinach to the skillet and saute until wilted.

Then, you’re going to add a mixture of beaten eggs, scallions, and cilantro, seasoned with salt and pepper, to the skillet.

Pretty standard, right? Now for the amazing trick (originally discovered in The Whole30 Book).

Continue cooking the eggs and mixing into the other ingredients in the skillet until only beginning to cook (about 2 minutes). Then, broil the frittata on high for five minutes.

Broiling the frittata ensures that it gets fully cooked but not over-cooked, and also creates a nice outer crust on the top. The heat retained from the skillet ensures a nice crust on the bottom, and the middle stays perfectly creamy, like perfectly cooked scrambled eggs.

You can use this method of frittata making in any number of ways. I made a Mexican version with ground beef and Mexican spices, red peppers, and onions. Maybe saute some chopped up bacon and add leftover roasted veggies to the mix. Maybe throw some broccoli and ham in there. Don’t know what to do with those greens from the tops of your beets? Throw them in a frittata!

Or, just stick to this Green Machine version because it is SO GOOD.

Recipe below. Enjoy!

Green Machine Zucchini and Spinach Frittata

This Green Machine Zucchini and Spinach Frittata is packed with good-for-you veggies, Whole30/Paleo approved, and takes 10 minutes to make! A special trick is used to make it really quick and easy, and creamy- never dry.

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Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 2 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 203kcal

Author: Elizabeth Lindemann

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Equipment

• Oven-Safe Skillet

Ingredients

• 1 medium zucchini diced
• 2 cups fresh spinach packed
• 8 eggs
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped (and/or parsley or dill)
• 3 scallions chopped
• kosher salt to taste
• black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or butter
• avocado and/or hot sauce for serving (optional)

Instructions

• Sauté zucchini over medium high heat in a cast iron (or other oven safe) skillet in the olive oil (2 tablespoons). Season with salt and pepper.
• Add spinach; saute until wilted.
• Meanwhile, beat eggs in a bowl and mix in cilantro and scallions. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add egg mixture to skillet and stir. Continue stirring and folding up from the bottom until eggs are just starting to cook.
• Place entire skillet under the broiler on high for five minutes, or until top is just starting to brown and eggs are set.
• Serve with sliced avocado and hot sauce, if desired.

Notes

• The provided nutrition information does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. Feel free to calculate it yourself using this calculator or by adding the recipe to Yummly.

Nutrition

Calories: 203kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 327mg | Sodium: 143mg | Potassium: 358mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 2137IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition Information Disclaimer

The provided nutrition information is my best estimate and reflects one serving of the recipe (total servings indicated at top of recipe card). It does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. I use an automatic API to calculate this information. Feel free to calculate it yourself using one of these tools:

Very Well Fit Nutrition Information Calculator

My Fitness Pal Recipe Nutrition Calculator

Add the recipe to Yummly

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