~~posted by Jen

It’s a freezing cold winter morning here in central New Jersey, and I am warming up with a Clicktastic Salted Caramel Cocoa before I make a nice breakfast for the boys and myself. Since two of them are pretty picky and the third is a vegetarian, it’s not always easy finding something we ALL like and can agree on.

That’s why when I happen upon something all three like and that meets my nutritional needs as a post-op WLS patient, I will make it a cabillionty-seven different ways. My frittata is no exception. They all three love it, any way I change it up, and it has lots of pouch-friendly protein that works perfectly for me as well.

Best of all, I don’t have to make a different meal for every person in the house. That is a winner in my book, any way you look at it. If you’re a frequent reader, then you may have seen my original frittata awhile back, or I’ve also shared the Spinach & Bacon Pie with y’all. As often as I make this, it was kinda funny to me that the boys’ favorite was the one I recently shared during Leftovers Week, Sweet Potato Frittata!

All four of us love love love, did I mention LOVE?? mushrooms. So of course, I had to make a mushroom frittata! That’s what we’re having for breakfast later this morning. Quick, easy, and delicious. It reheats well and is very easy on the pouch.

My secret? Adding Greek yogurt to the egg mixture. I don’t know exactly what it does, aside from add protein and creaminess to the eggs, all I do know is that my pouch likes eggs re-heated now as long as they contain Greek yogurt.

Several newer post-ops who had issues with eggs in the past have told me that since they followed my method for the frittata eggs, they have been able to enjoy scrambled eggs again. Sounds a bit wonky, maybe, but it works!

Here’s how it’s done:

Jen’s Mushroom and Smoked Cheddar Frittata


Ingredients:
6 large eggs
1/4 cup Greek Yogurt
1/4 cup milk (whatever fat percentage you use)
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 medium sweet onion (I used Vidalia) chopped into small pieces
1/2 stick I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter 
1 1/2 cup grated smoked Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese
2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp Herbs de Provence (you can substitute 2 tsp dried thyme, 1/2 tsp dried sage, and 1/2 tsp dried rosemary if you don’t have the Herbs de Provence)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, yogurt, and seasonings with a whisk. Beat well until thoroughly combined, you don’t want lumps of yogurt in your eggs. Mix half of each kind of cheese into the egg mixture and set aside the remaining cheese.

Preheat a non-stick oven safe skillet, add the butter substitute and olive oil. Let the butter melt, then add the onions and cook them until soft and translucent. Once the onions start to brown, stir in the mushrooms and cover so it can saute together for a couple minutes until the mushrooms are tender.

Pour in the egg mixture. Using a rubber spatula, slowly stir the egg mixture and veggies until thoroughly combined.  You want the eggs to be about 2/3 done but still in a solid mass (think omelet) and not in pieces like scrambled eggs.

Sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly over the top of the eggs.  Remove the skillet from the stove top and place it in the oven for about 8 to 10 minutes or until the cheese is thoroughly melted.  Let it cool slightly before cutting it into wedges, that gives the eggs extra time to set up so it comes out in one piece.  Makes 8 pie-slice sized servings.  

This is a great breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Sometimes I serve a cup of soup or salad on the side for the boys. If there is any leftover, which there rarely is, I freeze it in individual slices so I can pull it out as a quick protein meal for myself. Perfect for lunch to take to work!