Every Monday, a huge stack of groceries is left at my doorstep by the lovely people at AmazonFresh. After eight years of carless grocery trips in the rain and broken/soggy/overstuffed paper grocery bags, I finally found a delivery service that does it right. AmazonFresh is accessible, affordable (so long as you buy enough to waive the delivery fee), and absolutely fresh. Fresh-picked produce, organic & naturally raised meats, local goods, flowers, pantry goods… anything and everything I need for a week of Paleo noms is brought right to me (and left on my doorstop if I’ve stepped out for a bit). Sometimes, they even throw in a little gift or a small plant – just to say “thanks” for being a customer. I love them. Shopping for everything I need for a week has made preparing and storing Paleo meals much easier than my previous routine of jetting to the grocery store as soon as a craving hit… which inevitably ended up with me stopping before I even got to the grocery store for an almond-honey latte at Citizen.
My fridge, at the end of the week.
All that being said… by the end of each week, I inevitably find myself looking at my fridge or pantry with absolute bewilderment – how in the heck am I to make a meal from an odd combination of sausage, frozen spinach, eggs, artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, brussels sprouts (and the list goes on…)??! Often, I have two brussels sprouts and three eggs and half a sweet potato leftover – and no idea what to do with any of it. My go-to solution? A Gigantic, Sort-of-Random, Thrown-Together Frittata. Or egg bake… or casserole… or whatever you want to call it. The In-A-Pinch Frittata is infinitely versatile and easy to throw together. Only a few ingredients are standard, with everything else added being completely up to you (although I’ve provided some suggestions below). Use this recipe to clean out your fridge each week before you head to the grocery store. Not only will you have room for all your new goods, but you’ll also have breakfast/lunch/dinner ready for at least five meals. Win!
In-a-Pinch Frittata
Ingredients:
4-8 eggs (whatever you have left in your fridge works)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
Optional: 1 Tbsp. – 1/4 c. almond or coconut milk (if you have it handy, this ingredient will add fluff to your frittata)
Suggested Variations:
1) halved brussels sprouts, frozen spinach (thawed and pressed), garlic, sliced mushrooms, diced bacon
2) sun-dried tomatoes, diced artichoke hearts, cooked bulk italian sausage, fresh basil
3) cooked ground beef, diced red onions, sliced bell peppers, fresh cilantro, bacon, halved cherry tomatoes
4) shredded sweet potatoes, diced and sautéed yellow onions, steamed spinach, leftover roast chicken (cubed), broccoli florets
5) ANYTHING and EVERYTHING!!
Method:
1) Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk eggs together with all spices in the ingredients list.
2) Add ingredients listed above under “variations” to the egg mixture, whisking until combined.
3) Line a casserole or baking dish with parchment paper and pour the egg mixture in. Top the frittata with any leftover pre-cooked protein you can find in your fridge (my personal favorite is, of course, BACON). Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until eggs are set.
4) Allow to cool for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.
Prep Time: 10-15 minutes
Total Time: 20-35 minutes
Serves: 5-8 people, depending on how much is left in your fridge at the end of the week.
