More-Vegetable-Less-Egg Frittata

I continue to be inspired by Mark Bittman, a food critic for the New York Times. If you don't know Mr. Bittman's story, a few years ago he was having health problems due to excessive weight (he is, after all, a food critic).


Bittman resolved to change his lifestyle and lost quite a bit of weight. What did he do? For one thing, he moved to a less-animal centric diet. I've heard him quoted as saying he's a "vegetarian until dinner," i.e., he eats mainly fruits and vegetables for breakfast and lunch.


Now if a NYTs Food Critic could lose 40 pounds just by switching from animal products to plant based foods, then I sure as hell can!!


Being a food critic, Bittman has played with recipes to help him achieve his weight loss goal and maintain his weight.


In today's NYT's Dining section he has a recipe for what he calls his "More-Vegetable-Less Egg" Frittata. You can find the article here: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/15/dining/15mini.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=Frittata&st=cse


For those of you who are not NYTs subscribers, here's the recipe:


More-Vegetable-Than-Egg Frittata


By MARK BITTMAN


2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
1/2 onion, sliced (optional)
Salt and ground black pepper
4 to 6 cups of any chopped or sliced raw or barely cooked vegetables
1/4 cup fresh basil or parsley leaves, or 1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon or mint leaves, or any other herb
2 or 3 eggs
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional).



1. Put olive oil or butter in a skillet (preferably nonstick or well-seasoned cast iron) and turn heat to medium. When fat is hot, add onion, if using, and cook, sprinkling with salt and pepper, until it is soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add vegetables, raise heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften, from a couple of minutes for greens to 15 minutes for sliced potatoes. Adjust heat so vegetables brown a little without scorching. (With precooked vegetables, just add them to onions and stir before proceeding.)


2. When vegetables are nearly done, turn heat to low and add herb. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender.


3. Meanwhile, beat eggs with some salt and pepper, along with cheese if you are using it. Pour over vegetables, distributing them evenly. Cook, undisturbed, until eggs are barely set, 10 minutes or so; run pan under broiler for a minute or 2 if top does not set. Cut into wedges and serve hot, warm or at room temperature.
Yield: 2 or 4 servings.