Recipe: Vegetable Frittata With Sweet Potato Home Fries

This tasty meal is perfect for breakfast or brunch or even a change of pace at dinner. The egg whites and veggies — seasoned with healthy turmeric, cumin and garlic — are packed with protein, fiber and nutrients. And the fries are oven-baked with healthy olive oil. A low-calorie, low-fat menu, ideal for any meal!

Vegetable frittata

Ingredients

• 8 egg whites
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1/2 cup sweet onion, fine-diced
• 1/2 cup red pepper, fine-diced
• 1/2 cup zucchini, fine-diced
• 1/2 cup shiitake mushrooms, fine julienne
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon canola oil (for pan flip only)

Directions

1. In a bowl, combine eight egg whites with one egg yolk. Whisk with a wire whip until frothy to aerate eggs for a fluffy frittata.
2. Add 1 tablespoon of canola oil to a 10-inch non-stick sauté pan and heat.
3. When hot, add shitake mushrooms; stir continuously until light brown in color.
4. Add onion, pepper and zucchini, and season to taste with salt and pepper; stir frequently.
5. When all is stirred and coated with oil, add turmeric; sauté until vegetables are just tender.
6. Add beaten eggs evenly around vegetables. Gently fold sides inward from the rim of the pan where eggs begin to cook. Tilt the pan in direction of fold to allow loose uncooked eggs to fill that area and cook. Continue doing this around the pan to quickly cook eggs.
7. Finish cooking the top of the eggs by putting the pan under a preheated broiler or covering the pan with a plate the same size, then flipping onto the plate and sliding back into the pan to finish cooking. (You can also place the pan in a preheated 350 F oven until eggs are done, but this method risks overcooking eggs.)
   For the brave of heart: Try a pan flip, the best way to avoid overcooking eggs. Lubricate sides of the pan with the 1/2 teaspoon of oil; with a quick uplifting motion, flip and invert frittata. Remove from heat and allow residual pan heat to finish cooking eggs.
8. Plate and serve with oven-baked sweet potato home fries, below.

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Oven-baked sweet potato home fries

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons canola or extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons fresh garlic, fine-minced
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 pounds sweet potatoes, washed, peeled and cut into small dice (1/4 inch)

Directions

1. Combine oil with garlic and seasonings.
2. Mix and add potatoes, tossing until well-coated.
3. Place on non-stick baking pan.
4. Bake in 375 F oven for 35 minutes or until tender.

Ingredient health benefits

• Eggs: A meat-free complete protein, eggs are a versatile and relatively inexpensive way to get some quality perks for any dish. They’re full of vitamin A and lutein help keep your eyes in working order, as well as vitamin B12 and vitamin B9 (folate) to support the development of healthy blood cells. And your skin relies on the vitamin E found in eggs to stay soft and act as a barrier between your body and nasty microbes.
• Onions: They don’t look like much, but there’s a lot to love behind all those layers. Onions support your immunity with vitamin C and flavonoids, which boost your immune system’s cells and lower unwanted inflammation in your body. A certain flavonoid called quercetin may even have benefits for your heart health, especially when you make onions a regular feature in your meals and snacks. Moving on down, your gut microbiome will appreciate the prebiotics and fiber these common alliums provide.
• Red bell peppers: Your taste buds will love the satisfying crunch, but that’s not all red bell peppers can contribute to your frittata. These delicious members of the nightshade family are loaded with potassium and manganese, important minerals that help your body regulate your blood pressure and maintain strong bones. Red bell peppers also have vitamin C and vitamin B6, as well as the fat-soluble vitamins A and E. Their eye-catching crimson comes from anthocyanins, anti-inflammatory plant compounds that may promote the health of your brain. And last but certainly not least, there’s fiber to help prevent constipation.
• Zucchinis: A colorful complement to the peppers, zucchinis are another easy, breezy ingredient with more to them than you might think. Vitamin C and fiber promote a healthy immune system, while vitamin B6 and iron — in combination with vitamin C — work to maintain happy blood cells and prevent anemia. Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), lutein and zeaxanthin are another powerful trio found in zucchinis. These nutrients can support your eyes and vision by lowering your risk of certain eye problems and countering the harmful effects of free radicals.
• Mushrooms: While this recipe has a lot of delicious veggies, we can’t forget about the fungi. Mushrooms are a good source of B vitamins like vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) and vitamin B3 (niacin), which help with essential functions like regulating your metabolism and repairing your DNA. The minerals selenium, potassium and zinc are also responsible for many aspects of your health, from keeping certain hormones in balance to regulating your blood pressure.
• Turmeric: Even a spice can add something nice. Turmeric has gained quite a reputation throughout the centuries for various health-related reasons. Research suggests that the compound curcumin might help fight cancer and protect your brain from disease. And turmeric has antioxidants that help suppress inflammation and free radicals, which can damage your cells and contribute to disease.
• Extra virgin olive oil: There’s a lot to say about this popular cooking oil. Like red peppers, extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) also has fat-soluble vitamins. It also has the ability to help elevate your “good” (HDL) cholesterol while lowering your “bad” (LDL) cholesterol, thanks to heart-helpful fats. And when it comes to keeping damaging free radicals and inflammation in check, you can count on EVOO to give your body the antioxidants it needs.

Nutrition information (per serving)

Makes 8
Serving = 1/2

Calories: 120
Sodium: 340 mg
Sugars: 5 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Saturated fat: 0 g
Fiber: 4 g
Protein: 2 g
Carbohydrate: 23 g

— Recipes developed by Jim Perko, CEC, AAC, Executive Chef, Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute, for Lifestyle 180©.