Leek, spinach, and mushroom frittata

Visiting New York was a blast - the perfect combination of hanging out, sightseeing, relaxing, and even a ride on the Staten Island Ferry (hey, we needed a breeze!). Hot on the heels of such a fun trip, I got to meet Lindsey's adorable pup, Zoe (I am committed to making her a best friend, that doggie!) and to see Tracy's new Ellicott City digs. All kinds of adventures!

Now I am home, and also in need of a few more vegetables and about 12 more hours of sleep. Enter...frittata! So easy, and so many veggies for something that still feels like a yummy treat.

Leek, spinach, and mushroom frittata
Serves 4

1 small leek, thinly sliced and cleaned
1 bunch baby spinach
2 cup cremini mushrooms , sliced
3/4 cup swiss cheese low fat, shredded
4 tbsp parmesan cheese
thyme, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper, to taste
4 large eggs
4 large egg whites

Directions
Preheat oven to 350.
Heat cast iron  or other oven-proof skillet over medium heat with oil or nonstick spray, and saute leek for 5 minutes until tender.
Add mushrooms and saute until tender. Add spinach and heat until wilted. Spread vegetable mixture evenly throughout the skillet.
Meanwhile, whisk eggs with thyme, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Sprinkle about half of the swiss cheese on top of the vegetables, and then pour egg mixture on top. Put in the oven to bake for 15 minutes until egg is just set.
Remove the skillet from the oven, and add the remaining swiss cheese. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top. Broil for about 5 minutes until top is golden.

Green Piece

This past week has included a lovely stint in Denver for a pediatrics conference, a submission of my first full thesis draft (!), and a butt-kicking “hike” (read: sprint) up Tiger Mountain.  

I’m struggling to find the best way to describe the conference, but I think if you imagine being in one building with 1000+ doctors, you can begin to get a picture of this experience. Egos, brains, and industry...oh my!

Following the conference with the thesis submission was exciting. Of course, receiving the feedback on the first draft might be less exciting. Until then, ignorance is bliss!

If success with doctors, research, and gravity was possible, mastering greens can’t be far off!

Friends, this is a yummy little number. It’s flavorful and filling, and it looks much more impressive than it is. This is going in my “make for other people” category of recipes. One note--it is a tad heavy on polenta. Next time, I might reduce the cornmeal and/or increase the volume of the filling. If you try it out and vary it up, let me know how it turns out!

Leeks and greens...so pretty!

Polenta Gratin With Leeks, Swiss Chard And Gruyere

From NPR-Going With Whole Grains
Makes 6 servings
6 cups water
2 teaspoons salt
1 3/4 cups yellow cornmeal
1 cup grated Gruyere (I had mozzarella on hand, and it worked great as a substitute)
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 leeks, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 bunch Swiss chard, washed and chopped, with the rib removed
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper

Directions:
To make the polenta, bring the 6 cups of water to a boil in a heavy large saucepan. Add the salt. Gradually whisk in the cornmeal. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the mixture thickens and the cornmeal is tender, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Add half of the Gruyere. Remove from heat.
Meanwhile, in a frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the leeks and rosemary and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the chard, the wine and a few tablespoons of water, stirring well to coat with oil. Add more water as necessary until the chard is wilted and soft.
In a 3-quart gratin dish, spread half of the polenta, then top with the leek-chard mixture. Sprinkle the rest of the Gruyere over the top. Spoon the remaining polenta over the chard, smoothing with a spatula. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and Parmesan.
Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes or until the gratin is hot and bubbly.