13
Jul

Butternut Squash & Quinoa Frittata
Up until the other night, I thought my frittatas were pretty diverse. They had contained ingredients such as black beans, avocado, smoked salmon, potatoes, and goat cheese. However, I had never put quinoa – or any kind of grain – in a frittata. Frittatas are a great way to put a quick, easy, complete meal together because you can put pretty much anything into them, but still, grains had not occurred to me. When it comes to grains, I’m pretty picky about types and portion sizes since I am watching my carb intake carefully, but quinoa is always a good bet. Higher in protein and fiber and many of its counterparts, its great to have on hand. So when I came across this recipe that used quinoa in a frittata, I thought that sounded like a great way to enjoy a grain.

I changed the recipe a bit by using egg substitute (a staple in my house – they have all the good nutrition of eggs minus the fat and cholesterol, and about half the calories per serving.) I decided to use feta, since I had plenty on hand, and add some fresh spinach because it complements everything else well and adds extra good nutrients.

I wasn’t sure how the quinoa would act in a frittata, but it turned out great! It adds a nice texture and makes the dish a little more filling, a complete meal. My husband really enjoyed this too and made sure to tell me how much he doesn’t mind when I don’t include meat in a meal – could I have a vegetarian on my hands soon?!

Butternut & Quinoa Frittata with Spinach and Feta

Printable Recipe
Adapted from dani spies

Ingredients2 tsp olive oil

1/2 small onion, thinly sliced (75 grams)
1 1/2 cups cubed, peeled, and seeded butternut squash (300 grams)
4oz fresh spinach, chopped
1 tsp fresh rosemary
pinch of nutmeg
1/4 cup dry quinoa
1 cup eggbeaters
2 oz crumbled feta cheese
DirectionsPreheat oven to 400F. Place two tapas pans on a baking sheet and leave in the oven while preheating. (Alternatively, heat an ovenproof skillet on the stove top and use this to saute the onions and so on.)
Cook quinoa according to package directions. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute onions for about 8 minutes, until softened and translucent. Season with freshly ground salt & pepper. Add the squash, rosemary, and nutmeg. Add a small amount of water (just a tablespoon or two, to steam the veggies). Cover and cook on medium-low heat for about 5 minutes. Add the spinach, and then cook 5 minutes more, or until squash is tender and spinach is wilted. Finally, stir in the cooked quinoa.
Take the tapas pans out of the oven and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Divide the squash mixture evenly among the two pans. Sprinkle half of the feta over each, then pour the eggbeaters over. (Or, just sprinkle the feta over the squash mixture in the skillet and then pour in the eggs.)Bake for about 15 minutes, or until frittatas are puffed, set in the middle, and lightly browned.
Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 2
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 342.0
Total Fat: 12.2 g
Cholesterol: 25.2 mg
Sodium: 374.1 mg
Total Carbs: 38.2 g
Dietary Fiber: 9.6 g
Protein: 22.4 g
eggs, Vegetables, Vegetarian
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7 Responses to “Butternut Squash & Quinoa Frittata”

  1. 1

    Kerstin — July 14, 2009 @ 1:55 am Reply

    What a cool idea – love the feta you added too!

  2. 2

    Cate — July 14, 2009 @ 6:19 am Reply

    Frittatas are awesome because they're so easy and versatile! The only grain I've found here is brown rice, but I think I'm going to try that with squash in my next frittata. Thanks for the great idea!

  3. 3

    CB — January 8, 2010 @ 2:11 am Reply

    I just made this and had my first bite, then stopped because I had to post a comment. This frittata is fantastic! What a great flavour combination. I can't wait to try some of your other recipes!

  4. 4

    CB — April 5, 2011 @ 1:24 am Reply

    I just made this and had my first bite, then stopped because I had to post a comment. This frittata is fantastic! What a great flavour combination. I can't wait to try some of your other recipes!

  5. 5

    Cate — April 5, 2011 @ 1:24 am Reply

    Frittatas are awesome because they're so easy and versatile! The only grain I've found here is brown rice, but I think I'm going to try that with squash in my next frittata. Thanks for the great idea!

  6. 6

    Tessie Mosteiro — August 10, 2011 @ 2:38 pm Reply

    very nice recipe, but you might want to mention that the squash must be peeled before cooking.  Some of us are kinda new to cooking with winter squash :)

  7. 7

    Cara — August 10, 2011 @ 2:42 pm Reply

    All set! thanks for the feedback!

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