No resolutions, just a commitment

 

I don’t make New Year’s resolutions and never have.  I do try to think about positive changes and how I can implement them in my life.  I would like to eat healthier so those times when you have fewer choices you don’t feel guilty having something higher in calories or fat. 

We have a beautiful new kitchen and our daily cooking is fairly simple and sometimes does not even require using the cook top or oven.  We always have lean lunch meats, salad makings, fresh fish, chicken, and fruit in the house.  This year I would like to cook more but still stay within the guidelines of healthy good tasting foods.

I have loved quiche ever since my mom first fixed it years ago, a pie crust, eggs, and cheese, what could be better?  Well if you take away the pie crust, lower the fat content in the cheese, and add in vegetables you can still enjoy a family favorite and not feel guilty.

Frittata

Ingredients

1 ½ c. cottage cheese
8 oz. cream cheese
8 oz. Mexican blend shredded cheese
8 oz. pepper Jack cheese
10 egg whites
4 eggs
¼ c. half/half non fat
½ c. green onions, chopped
1 c. kale, finely chopped
½ c. bacon, crispy cooked and finely chopped

In a food processor blend the pepper Jack cheese until finely chopped.  Add the cottage cheese and cream cheese and blend until smooth.  Add the Mexican shredded cheese, the half&half, and again blend until smooth.  Add the egg yolks one at a time, then begin adding the egg whites a little at a time and blend until fluffy.  Add the green onions and kale and turn the food processor on and off several times until blended.

 Pour into a two greased casserole dishes with about a 2” rim.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until set in the middle and lightly browned on top.

 You can use low fat cottage cheese, low fat cream cheese, low fat shredded cheese, and substitute grilled chopped chicken for the bacon.

 Using the food processor instead of beating by hand made this frittata light and fluffy, a texture similar to a soufflé, but without the worry if it rises or falls.

 The real test was if my husband Larry would like this, I just didn’t tell him it contained kale in it until he had finished his second helping and told me how much he liked it.  He liked it enough to ask to have it again even knowing it had kale in it.  A keeper recipe and the best part is you can fix the frittata for dinner, breakfast, or have the leftovers for lunch.