Summer frittata

Summer is here and with it comes longer days, summer recipes, welcome sunshine, light reading, beach days and hopefully some time for relaxation.

When it comes to summer recipes, the only thing that makes me happier than a long lazy fresh breakfast is having breakfast for dinner. Or even lunch. Or any time really. Seriously, no matter how old you are, there’s something thrilling about having breakfast for dinner. That’s why I have a special thing for frittatas; they’re easy and delicious and can be enjoyed any time, anywhere and depending on the weather you can have them chilled or warm.

So what is a frittata, you ask?

For the unacquainted, a frittata is an egg-based dish. It’s like a quiche but without the crust.

And lest we forget how endlessly versatile the old frittata is: they’re basically the little black dress of the breakfast menu. Frittatas can be filled with vegetables, cheese and even meat; you can dress them up or dress them down depending upon the occasion, and they make the perfect summer food.

I often whip up a frittata for dinner in the middle of the week or for a lazy weekend brunch. It’s a protein- and antioxidant-rich meal that will leave you feeling nourished, revitalised and energised.

So how do you make a frittata? First of all you start with flavour — think sweating out some onions or garlic and adding chilli or cumin for taste.

Next stop vegetables.

Whenever I have veggie scraps leftover in the fridge, I’ll give them a new life in the form of a frittata filler. If you have veggies ready to go, use those. If not, make sure you cook any sturdier veggies before starting your frittata until they become nice and tender.

This summer-style frittata includes zucchini and spinach, but you could just as easily throw in some roasted sweet potato, cauliflower and tomatoes.

Then you pour the egg mix over the veggies. Eggs contain all the essential amino acids needed to nourish your muscles and provide optimum results. You need to whisk the eggs with a milk of your choice, salt and pepper. I love oat milk, but feel free to choose whatever milk suits you.

Then add more tender veggies and herbs that cook quickly, such as spinach or other green leafy veggies. Spinach is easily digestible and supports glowing skin and
a thriving immune system.

Next, it’s time to add cheese or dairy-free cheese. Yes, you read that correctly — I’m telling you to add cheese (you’re welcome). OK, OK, let’s address the Persian elephant in the room: feta. Feta is lower in calories and fat and contains a lot more nutrients than most cheeses. Plus, feta includes a hefty dose of calcium, which helps us maintain healthy bones and shiny teeth. The calcium within the feta can improve bone density and even help prevent osteoporosis, particularly important to post-menopausal women.

Then you bake until it’s cooked through and is golden brown on the top. Some of my favourite frittata flavour combinations are:

• Tomatoes + goats cheese + onions + basil; this is basically a frittata pizza, and who doesn’t want that? Nobody. Absolutely nobody.
• Asparagus + mushroom + sweet potato + nutritional yeast.

If you’re looking for five more flavour combinations or fresh frittata ideas, my blog Supercharged Food has loads. I promise they’re all vibrant, protein-rich and rated highly on the tastiness radar.

So without further ado, here is my effortless Summer Feta Frittata. This frittata is super-easy to create, filling, fresh, adaptable and just so delicious

Recipe:

Summer Feta Frittata 

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 long red chilli, thinly sliced
• 1 clove garlic, diced
• 1 zucchini, chopped
• 8 eggs
• 200mL milk
• 200g spinach
• Persian feta, 1cm cubed
• Olive oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Heat oil on medium–high heat. Add chilli and garlic and cook until soft, then add zucchini.
3. Whisk eggs and milk in a separate bowl.
4. Turn the pan to high heat and stir in spinach.
5. Add egg mixture, occasionally stirring to allow eggs to reach the bottom of the pan.
6. Top mixture with feta.
7. Place the whole pan in the oven for
8. 15 mins until the top is at its most crispy