Farm Fresh Eggs and a Frittata

Changing the way we eat has changed the way we shop for food – in a big way.  It didn’t happen overnight so it wasn’t like I was buying pop tarts & frozen pizzas regularly (both are addictingly good, btw) to all of a sudden switching to grass-fed meats and organic produce.  It was a gradual transition and the change really occurred over years rather than weeks.

One of the biggest changes was the increase in the number of eggs we eat.  Before, a dozen eggs in my fridge could last 2 weeks.  Now we probably go through 5-6 dozen in the same period.  Eggs, by design, are a nutrient rich food and a meal of eggs can be whipped up in no time.

I have been buying my eggs mainly from two sources.  One is sort of local (in-state) and the other is not.  I found 3 Acre Farm on LocalHarvest and stop for fresh eggs from Janelle whenever I travel to the Central Valley for business.  Janelle pastures her hens, where they feed on grass, bugs and vegetables from her garden, and also supplements their diet with organic chicken feed.  My other supply of eggs comes all the way from Colorado, Fox Fire Farms, where the hens are truly free ranging.  The eggs come in different beautiful colors – white, green, brown and blue – and have dark colored yolks.  There is no way that you could mistake these for ordinary commercially produced eggs.  I don’t have a photo of these eggs since we’re out of them for the moment, which is a bummer.  Since Fox Fire Farms doesn’t mass produce its eggs, the supply varies with the season and with the demand.  So I buy them when I can and when I can’t, I revert back to the organic ones from the market.  But the taste is definitely not the same.

One of the egg dishes I make all the time is a frittata and the recipe changes with the what I have in stock.  The following recipe, though, is a basic one that I use.  Use whatever fresh ingredients you have and be free to create your version.

Frittata

6 eggs

1/4 cup heavy cream (water or milk will work, too)

1 teaspoon chili sauce

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

salt & pepper to taste

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

1 cup fresh spinach or broccoli, chopped

1/3 cup bell peppers, chopped

1 tomato, chopped

1/2 cup ham or cooked bacon

shredded cheese for topping (or try some crumbled goat cheese instead)

Coconut oil for cooking

1. Preheat broiler.  Preheat oven-safe skillet on stove top (I love my 12-inch cast iron!).
2. Beat eggs and cream together.  Stir in chili sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, parmesan cheese, spinach, bell pepper, tomato, and ham.
3. Grease pan with a tablespoon or two of coconut oil.
4. Pour mixture into skillet and cook over medium low heat.  Stir the eggs around gently.
5. Let the egg cook until the top is almost set but still a bit jiggly.
6. Sprinkle cheese on eggs and put the skillet under the broiler for 3-5 minutes until the top is lightly browned and bubbly.

This frittata is good for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  During the week, I’ll make it the night before so that it’s ready to go the next day.  Since my daughter loves eggs, this is a convenient way to also get some meat and veggies in the same bite.  How do you like your eggs?