Mini Frittatas

Frittatas – baked Italian-style omelets – are great served cold, and two- or three-bite versions are completely customizable, perfectly packable and best eaten by hand. Leftover potatoes add substance, as does torn bread or cooked pasta. Sausage, ham, leftover roast chicken or vegetables (sauté them if they aren’t already cooked) and cheese are a perfect fit – adjust them to suit your kids’ tastes.

INGREDIENTS:

canola or olive oil, for cooking (optional)
2 cups filling: cooked and chopped vegetables, torn fresh herbs, cooked spaghetti, cooked crumbled sausage, ham or bacon, shredded roast chicken or a combination of any of these
5–6 large eggs
1/4 cup (60 mL) milk
1/2 cup (125 mL) freshly grated Parmesan, cheddar, or any type of cheese
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 375ºF.

2. Sauté raw veggies (if you’re using them in your filling) in a drizzle of oil until soft, so that they don’t release their moisture in the frittatas and make them watery. (Fresh herbs are fine.)

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk and salt and pepper to taste. Add your fillings and if you like, some grated or crumbled cheese.

4. Divide the mixture among muffin tins or mini muffin tins that have been sprayed with nonstick spray and sprinkle with grated cheese.

5. Bake for 15–20 minutes, until puffed and golden. Cool completely and send to school in resealable bags or portable plastic containers.

PER FRITTATA (made with 1 medium potato, 56 g chopped ham, 1/2 cup mushrooms, 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes):

33 calories, 1.7 g fat (0.8 g saturated fat, 0.6 g monounsaturated fat, 1.2 g polyunsaturated fat), 2 g protein, 1.8 g carbohydrates, 46 mg cholesterol, 0.2 g fibre.