Hidden Veggie Fritatta

Today we had some friends over for brunch. In our pre-Henry life, brunch was really brunch...our first meal of the day. Now by the time we get to brunch, we've had breakfast, and usually a snack as well. Ah, the days when we used to sleep late...

For brunch, I decided to take the easy route. I knew that in the morning I would buy some whole wheat bagels and cream cheese and serve it with sliced tomato, cucumber, red onion, and capers. But I wanted to make something a bit more special, without adding too many extra steps to my day. I thought about French toast, waffles, or pancakes, but since I was already going with the carb-y bagels, I opted for an egg dish. I didn't really have time to go out and buy ingredients, so I decided that I would make a fritatta on Saturday night with whatever ingredients I had, and then heat it up for brunch. Luckily, I had plenty of eggs on hand :)

I have to admit, that with all my thought processes on what to make, and how to make my life easier, feeding Henry, or appealing to what he likes, did not really enter my mind. As a result, I was all the more pleasantly surprised when Henry scarfed down the fritatta at brunch, and even seemed to choose it over his beloved bread! Without even trying, I got Henry to eat eggs (great protein), cheese (protein & calcium), artichokes, olives, and sundried tomatoes (vitamins & minerals). I then remembered that my friend Laura had told me earlier this week that she used to make veggie omelets for her daughter (who was then almost 2) since her daughter loved eggs and was willing to eat them with anything. Maybe subconsciously I remembered that, and made the fritatta with Henry in mind? Yeah, let's stick with that story. Either way, it seems to work - thanks for the tip Laura!

Here's my approximate recipe for the Fritatta:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 large onion, diced

6 whole eggs

6 egg whites

1/2 cup 1% milk

1 15-oz can artichoke hearts (in water), drained and diced

10 sundried tomatoes, drained and diced

1 cup black olives, sliced (measure first and then slice)

1/4 cup parsley, chopped

1/4 cup light feta cheese, crumbled

1/3 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella

1/4 tsp garlic powder

pepper to taste

Sautee onion in olive oil in a large saucepan until translucent. Set aside.

Whisk eggs, egg whites, and milk together. Add all other ingredients, including sauteed onion. Pour into baking dish (I used my large saute pan, but a 9x13 pan would work too. Bake in 400 degree oven for about 30 minutes, or until done.

When I reheated today, I sprinkled an additional 1/4 cup of mozzarella cheese on top.

The best part is, we have leftovers. Now I don't have to worry about what Henry will eat for lunch tomorrow!

Happy and (mostly) healthy eating!