I never made it to the grocery store today so I decided we’d have a throw together meal. Gazing in the fridge, eggs and cheese caught my eye and frittata came to mind. With a little help from the freezer for some leftover ham and a lone bell pepper, dinner was born.
And it was the best frittata I’ve ever had!! But unfortunately for you all (and us too, I suppose) the key ingredient was the leftover glazed ham from Easter, which isn’t easily replicable without a major holiday nearby. But I think you could do this with maple or honey glazed deli ham too – or just a store-bought thick-cut ham piece. But the ham added such a wonderful sweetness that permeated throughout the whole dish. And the 3 different cheeses really contributed to a complex flavor as well.
The frittata was composed of the following:
- 5 oz leftover ham (about a cup), chopped
- 1/2 a green bell pepper, chopped
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup egg whites
- About 1/3 cup shredded Italian cheese
- 2 slices Kraft sharp cheddar slices, diced
- 1 tbsp grated parmesan
- 1 tsp fresh rosemary
Brown ham, add pepper, add eggs and rosemary, cook until slightly set, add cheese, broil 5 minutes or until brown.
Plated. We split the frittata into 2 servings, each about 400 kcal, depending on cheese and ham amounts and types.
On the side I made a simple “mystery greens” salad (since we have no idea what kind they are from the CSA!) dressed with a little EVOO, aged balsamic, blueberries and wheatberries.
I think this dinner had all the food groups! Fruit, healthy fat (olive oil), whole grains, veggies, dairy, protein.
Cocktails + Antiquing
My grandmother’s shipped boxes of antiques arrived today! That was fast! I opened one of them and saved the other for tomorrow – I can only handle so many packing peanuts in one day! I think I mentioned that she and my grandfather are moving out of their house of nearly 50 years. So it’s time to pass on some of the family heirlooms.
Here’s the contents of the first box –
A wedgewood dish
Bowls and more –
I’ve decided to collect blue glass and my collection grew significantly with this box – and there’s more antique dark blue Noxzema jars in the other shipment. What to do with it all!? Right now it’s settled on the fireplace hearth –
Lastly, she sent some old “Cocktail” glasses, which often featured roosters. So while unpacking, I decided to have a small Old Fashioned in my grandmother’s honor!! I do not really like liquor but I am LOVING this new drink discovery! Complete with a cherry and a splash of cherry juice.
The husband made it for me and had a Manhattan in another red glass –
Drinking liquor makes me feel grown up 🙂
I’m off to read my novel – The Villa, by Nora Roberts. I just finished my audiobook, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, by Lisa See this afternoon while doing stuff around the house. I love audiobooks for car trips, but they make good housework company too! The audiobook was really interesting – set in 19th century China about the life of a girl from a painful foot binding through her life’s tale.
Leanna says
I love that Wedgewood! What a beautiful piece.
Cassie says
What a well-rounded meal!
Those antiques are amazing! I love the wedgewood dish.
VeggieGirl says
I love “throw together” meals – they usually end up being the most delicious ones! And your “mystery greens” (haha) salad looks wonderful as well.
Ahh, such gorgeous antiques!!
Enjoy reading ‘The Villa’!
Sidi says
The blue glass collection is great, I love it!
hjk says
you were just kidding about the business cards, right?
the smile is below and to the right of the copyright in the beige border. it is very tiny and in the center of the page.
Kath says
HKJ,
No, I’m not kidding. I’m out and about all the time and tell people about the blog. Not strangers (well, sometimes I make friends with strangers)… but I just visited with my grandmother’s neighbor and it would have been nice to give her a card with the web address printed instead of making her track down a pen and paper. And I could have given it to the EarthFare guy and maybe he wouldn’t have lost my email address and could have send me that falafel recipe! Also will be useful at the BlogHer Conference this summer. I’m not going to stand on the street corner and pass them out, but just keep a few on me for when needed.
AND…………….
I found the smiley!!! Turns out when logged in the blog author cannot see it!! I had to log out of my account and then go to Katheats.com and then I could see it. How unfair!! But good I figured it out and am not going nuts not being able to see it. I was literally squinted all over my screen looking for the smallest trace of a shape!
Kath
RhodeyGirl says
That is so nice that your grandmother passed on such beautiful pieces to you. Enjoy them! I love the little roosters… so cute and fun! But I love the other pieces even more!
Allyson says
The frittata looks awesome! I have to remember to try to make it!
The red bowls are beautiful, I have similar ones, but in blue 🙂
Erin says
I love Nora Roberts! A bunch of her novels are set in Ireland, so I read a lot of her before I left to study abroad here 🙂
Casey says
I have a question regarding snacks.
I eat an afternoon snack every day, and every day it annoys me a little more than the day before. I eat because I get hungry, but I’m wondering if I get hungry because that’s just what my body is used to.
I would love to forgo the afternoon snack, but I’m wondering if it is a) necessary or b) a habit that can be changed.
Thanks, guys!
Jessie says
Laura, i have never heard of it, i will check it out this Saturday after the farmers market Thanks!
Do you mind me asking how old you are?
Suzanne says
Even your ‘thrown together’ meals look so good! Thanks for all the great ideas as always!
Your grandmother’s goodies are so lovely.
I have a question about protein. I heard that it’s recommended that every meal have a protein. But I don’t always follow that. Today’s dinner, for example, was a huge salad (romaine, spinach, broccoli slaw, tomatoes, baby carrots) and brown rice stir fry (no oil – just some cooking spray, broccoli, sugar snap peas, scallions, soy sauce, and a little bit of scrambled egg white). So the dinner was mostly veggies and carbs. Also, we often eat a salad with whole wheat pasta (with no meat or protein).
Is this ok? Or do you think I should always include a protein?
Thanks, Kath!
Steph says
Casey: I think I have a similar issue with snacks. I often find myself reaching for them when I’m either not hungry, or am just used to eating at that certain time of day. I definitely think our bodies/minds can get into the habit of eating at certain times. So you could probably train yourself out of the habit. Unless of course your body really needs the snack.
hk says
lovely package, what a treat! So excited to see the next one 🙂 Looks like a nice night with a quick and easy dinner for 2, yum 🙂
Kate says
Suzanne–I think that if you’re basing your meals on green vegetables and whole grains, it would be pretty difficult to not get enough protein, particularly if you’re getting concentrated sources at your other meals. If you add up the protein content of one of your “non protein” meals, you’ll probably find that they contain a substantial amount. Remember, the World Health Association recommends that we get 10% of our calories from protein, which is easily doable. Also, calorie for calorie, green veggies like broccoli have more protein than most meats and fat-containing dairy!
Kath–those are gorgeous flowers on your table!
flipflops says
Nothing wrong with having a business card. good for networking, social situations, etc. makes perfect sense to me. Calling cards, etc. are always a nice touch. I love wedgewood. Stumbled on a saucer but I didn’t buy. Kath, bet you’d like dedham pottery. the reproductions are nice/especially if u like blue pottery bunnies. :o)
Richelle says
Hi Kath! I’ve been reading your blog for a while now but wound up only commenting now. Well just wanted to let you know that your awesome recipes always keep me on track with my healthy eating and even inspired me to start my own blog! Keep up the good work (and recipes!)
maddie says
omygoodness that dinner looks DELICIOUS! i just recently started reading your blog but i’m so glad i stumbled across it. i have the same food scale as you. thats one of the best purchases i made =D
magpie says
You really love those wheatberries! And now I’m seeing them pop up all over on other blogs. I will have to look for them at Safeway or TJ’s because I’m very curious. I made your baked oatmeal the other day and it was great! A quick and easy breakfast, especially drizzled with this amazing raw honey I bought recently.
Jaclyn says
hey kath readers! I’m a longtime reader of kaths page, and have started my own blog, trying to get some traffic going there! take a look if you get a chance
http://artofgoodhealth.wordpress.com
Betsy says
i LOVED snow flower and the secret fan. i thought it was such a beautiful and sad book.
Mom says
Flipflops,
Fun to read your post about Dedham Pottery. I used to be the children’s librarian at the Dedham Public Library. We sometimes had displays of the really old pottery and I remember lovely reproductions in gift shops. Rabbits happily dancing around the rims of plates and other whimsical designs.
Suzanne says
Kate –
Thanks for your comment. I guess I forgot that veggies + grains have protein too! I was just thinking of meats and beans as primary protein sources. I don’t eat meat often, but I’m not a vegetarian. And I know vegetarians have to be conscious of incorporating protein in other forms. So I was just worried I was lacking in the protein dept. Thanks Kate!
KATH –
I’d love to hear what your thoughts are! 🙂
Kath says
Casey,
I almost always get hungry around 4:30 pm so I think that’s just when my body needs a boost of fuel, but I’ve noticed that when I do get out of the habit of snacking (my recent trip to Baltimore) that I didn’t need a 4:30 snack yesterday or the day before. So I do think it’s partially habit. But I don’t necessarily think you should fight the hunger just to break the habit, but perhaps start eating a bigger lunch or earlier dinner to shift things around?
Suzanne ,
I agree 100% with Kate! Whole grains are surprisingly high in protein (lots of breads have 4-5 grams per slice and grains like quinoa and bulgur have more than you think too). A little protein goes a long way. And you did have egg whites on your salad too. Protein does help delay stomach emptying and therefore allows you to go longer without hunger, but there’s no need to “stock up” on it since most Americans get way more than we need.
Richelle ,
Thanks so much 🙂
Kath
Katie says
AHHHH! That wegewood box is TO DIE FOR!! LOVE IT!!!
Allison K. says
The Villa is a pretty good book. I saturated myself on Nora Roberts a few years ago, but The Villa has always been one of my favorites.
JennC says
Everyone should take a moment to surf on over to the Eatlikeme blog. She’s having a baby!
Carrie H says
Hi, Kath —
Pretty much all I have left for dinner tonight is canned tuna … so I searched “tuna” for dinner ideas and found this post … I think I’ll make a tuna and pasta salad …
Anyway, after reading this post I had to tell you that I am a National Public Radio addict. I literally listen all day on the weekends, doing housework, in my car and over my lunch break. Sometimes in the evenings, too. (The only time I can’t listen is while working out … Oh, wait, if it is the right time, I’ll listen to thier music shows while running …) I never thought of audiobooks, though. Try NPR and I’ll try an audiobook!
Have a happy Thursday afternoon. Good luck in class,
Carrie H
Kath says
Carrie,
I do like NPR but don’t listen that often. Thanks for the reminder!
K