April 3, 2020 |

Cheese + Veggie Frittata: A Healthy Meatless Meal

The Italian classic gets a Tex-Mex makeover.

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Italy has given the world a number of beloved foods: Who doesn’t love pizza and pasta? Another Italian dish that pleases a crowd is the frittata. Frittatas are an easy egg dish that you can eat for breakfast *or* lunch (or better yet—brunch). It’s like an egg pie, without the crust.

The best thing about a frittata is that it’s customizable: Just like with pizza, you can add whatever veggies or flavors that you want. In this recipe, the frittata gets a Tex-Mex makeover. It uses veggies like tomatoes, bell peppers, and jalapeños, and it also has Monterey Jack cheese, which is the go-to cheese for Mexican-style dishes in the United States.

A Meatless Meal

You can add meat to a frittata, but this recipe is vegetarian. The American Diabetes Association recommends including vegetarian and plant-based meals in your diet to help reduce your intake of saturated fats. This type of dietary fat may damage your cholesterol levels and increase your risk of heart disease.

Because having diabetes is a risk factor for developing cardiovascular diseases, it’s important to follow guidelines for a heart-healthy lifestyle. Along with exercising and reducing salt intake, making meatless meals is *one* way to protect your heart health, according to the American Heart Association.

If you want to include meat in this frittata, choose lean proteins such as chicken breast. Avoid red meat, which is high in saturated fat, and avoid processed meats like bacon, sausage, and chorizo: Processed meats are typically high in sodium and and saturated fat, and they may also increase the risk of certain types of cancer. Learn more healthy protein options for a diabetes diet here.

But honestly, you don’t need meat in this frittata. The eggs provide plenty of protein, and the cheese and veggies add wonderful flavor. You probably won’t miss the meat!

6 eggs
1/2 cup fat-free (skim) milk
Pinch of salt and pepper
1/4 cup yellow onions, diced
1/4 cup tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup red peppers, diced
1 teaspoon, jalapeños, finely chopped
3 cups spinach
2 scallions, finely sliced
1/2 cup of shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Beat eggs in a large bowl. Add evaporated milk, salt and pepper. Then, heat a large pan. Once hot, add oil and spread it well over the pan. Add the onions and sauté them until they are light in color. Add the tomatoes and mix for 2 minutes. Then add the peppers and jalapeños and cook until they are soft. Add the spinach and let it cook until the color gets bright and deep. Spinach should be slightly softened. Sprinkle cheese and scallions over spinach. Pour egg mixture over vegetables and cheese making sure the vegetables are evenly covered by the eggs mix. Cover and let cook in medium for 8-10 minutes or until center is firm (but not dry). Let stand for a few minutes before serving.