A Mediterranean Vegetable Frittata for Brunch or a light Dinner is Healthy, and so Easy

This Frittata recipe is a combination of roasted capsicum, spinach, chick peas and smoked paprika and the best eggs I can find.  I have also added healthy turmeric as we harvested a lot of our crop recently and then dehydrated it and ground it up into a wonderfully aromatic powder. You can find that story here. Other combinations that I like are kale, pumpkin seeds and Parmesan cheese, or grated fresh beetroot with goats cheese and thyme.The ingredients that I use often depends on what I happen to have in my frig at the time. I am always reaching for fresh herbs from the garden as well, so the Frittata can be a reflection of what I have found. Olives and basil could also be added. Leftovers can be heated up the next day for lunches or even breakfast, and taste great.

I've always been a fan of a good quiche, and now with the cooler weather the Frittata has become my favourite option, particularly on a Sunday when brunch suits the mood of the day. Most people cook a lot during the week, so something easy, nutritious and healthy on a relaxing Sunday is great. I love that there are no rules that must be applied to a Frittata, and no need to make pastry as with a quiche. So after a busy day, it can also be a great option for dinner with a colourful salad, or extra vegetables.

Mediterranean Vegetable Frittata

Ingredients

Serves 2

4 large eggs, beaten
2 red capsicums (or 1 small bottle of char grilled capsicum)
3 spring onions, chopped or 1 small red onion
2 garlic cloves, crushed
200g canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 to 1 teaspoon turmeric powder (depending on personal taste and the freshness of the turmeric)
Freshly ground pepper (Besides adding flavour, pepper assists our body to absorb the anti-inflammatory benefits of the turmeric)
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (optional)
100g baby spinach leaves
Pinch of Salt to season
Feta or goat's cheese for garnish
Mint leaves or chopped parsley for garnish
Olive Oil



Method:

Char grill the capsicum

Cut the capsicums into halves or quarters depending on their size, and scrape out the seeds. Brush them lightly with oil, and then char grill them in the oven by placing them skin side up on a baking tray covered with a baking sheet and grill them on a high setting, until the skin blackens and blisters. Place the hot capsicum in a heatproof bag  and seal it tightly to cool. Peel the charred skin from the capsicums and roughly chop them. If you are time poor though, just use bottled char grilled capsicum purchased from the supermarket. They are always good to have on hand anyway.



Cooking the Frittata:

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan on a medium heat. Gently saute the spring onions and garlic until soft. Add the capsicum pieces and chickpeas to the pan. Then add the spices, the paprika, turmeric and ginger. Saute it all together for 5 minutes.



Add the spinach and keep stirring the mixture until the spinach wilts.

Add the beaten eggs and ground pepper and pinch of salt, and stir to incorporate the eggs into the mixture. Allow it to set over on a medium heat for about 2 minutes lifting the base slightly to allow the runny egg mixture to run to the bottom of the pan. The surface will still look a slightly runny though.



Preheat your oven grill to high, and slide the pan under the grill to set the top of the Frittata.

The top will become light golden and puffed up, and this should only take a minute or so.

Sprinkle the top of the Frittata with chopped feta or goat's cheese, and chopped mint or parsley.

So what do you prefer, quiche or Frittata, and do you opt to cook easier meals on the weekend like I sometimes do?

Thanks for taking the time to read my recipe and I would love to hear about your favourite Frittata recipe.

Best wishes

Pauline