Swiss Chard Frittata

Once I learned to flip, there was no going back. Life was truly never the same, as gymnastics suddenly became the grounding element in my life. And then one day, sometime in college, it all came to halt. I stopped coaching (I got a different job), and with that I also stopped having a reason to be a gym rat daily (this gave way to me trying many other sports, some of which I still love, but none as much as gymnastics).

Two weeks ago I went to my old gym for an adult gymnastics class, something that never fails to make me feel old and weak and also young and nostalgic at the same time. We did bars (which was always my least favorite event) but sure enough my muscle memory held on: glide, toes to the bar— Kip. Switch kip. Free hip, cut kip. I found myself in the air again, older sure— but the muscle memory was there. In a way nothing had changed and in others everything had. 

About 15 minutes in, I spun around the bar and felt a familiar and unpleasant sensation: a rip. My palm cut open (like a popped blister, but almost and inch across). Damn does that sting! At 15 years old, a rip was nothing: a causality at most. You got back up and kept going. Man I was strong then. And that’s how it goes: a mixture of rediscovering why I loved the sport in the first place — reinforcing what I always have known, which is that I simply love gymnastics, all of it - and learning how I have changed. 

Gymnastics was the first sport that I loved — before that I just wasn’t into most of what we did in gym class - and it taught me to care. To care about results and to try hard, sure, but also to care about my body and what I ate. I love gymnastics so much that anything that might help me be a better gymnast was worth doing.

Somewhere along this road I moved from breakfast-skipper to breakfast lover. More specifically, high protein breakfast lover. Eggs! I love eggs, and they’re a great way to get some protein in your body, which you need in order to rebuild (or just build) between work outs. This swiss chard parmesan frittata is a quick one — sauté the greens in an oven-safe skillet, add the adds, pop it in the oven under the broiler, and boom! High protein breakfast (with veggies) (and cheese!) is ready. Eat up!

Swiss Chard Frittata

Published August 21, 2018 by Caitlin Sherwood

Serves: 4   |    Active Time: 20 minutes

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Ingredients:

6 eggs 

1 shallot, sliced thin

4 swiss chard leaves 

1 teaspoon coconut oil

1/4 cup milk of choice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/2-3/4 cup parmesan

Directions:

1. In a 10-inch skillet, heat coconut oil over medium-high heat.
2. When oil glistens, sauté shallots until translucent.
3. Cut the swiss chard: cut out the stems, and chop them. Add stems to the pan. Then, roughly chop the leafy green parts. Add the leafy green parts to the skillet once the stems begin to soften. Place lid on skill, and allow greens to cook until dark green.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Once yellow and frothy, pour egg mixture into skillet. You may want to use a fork or spoon to move the swiss chard into an even layer if it is in clumps. Sprinkle parmesan on top.
5. Turn oven to a high broil. Place skillet on top rack in oven, and cook for 5-10 minutes, until eggs are puffed, golden on top, and set through. Remove from oven, and allow to cool 3-5 minutes.
6. Slice and serve.

Tex-Mex Potatoes & Eggs

Five miles in, and struggling to keep up, I still had a smile plastered over my face. It was Memorial Day weekend, and we were spending it up at Mount Evans. For the first time all week, the stress headache building at the back of my head had calmed itself. I went back to that moment in my head at mile nine, on our way back out.

The hike to the Mount Evans climbing area is unique because you have to climb up and then down and then up again, which means that on the way back home you have to climb down and then up again before you get to go down again. You are exhausted and that last little stretch of climbing is a mental battle. It didn’t help that it was our first day in the alpine this season -- where the air is thin.

Once back at home, we snuggled into the couch with plates of food (you know when you are just too tired to make anything, so you just throw stuff together?) and binge watched the last few episodes of Atypical (which I recommend doing). 

The next morning a feast was an order: a hearty breakfast with starches, carbs, and eggs with runny yolks. Revitalization! Fuel. That’s how this dish came to life. And oh, did it hit the spot.

My love of Tex-Mex breakfasts continues here: the potatoes have been spiced with chili powder, cumin, and paprika. The addition of avocado is a no-brainer for me; you might want to add some cheese two (we were out). 

I also used a little hat trick, boiling the potatoes with a bit of baking soda before roasting them. This coats the outside of the potatoes in a starchy slurry, which when roasted, turns into those super crispy bits we all love (like at the restaurants 🤤). 100% worth the extra step! It also means the potatoes need less time in the oven… and since this weekend it was over 90°F (in May no less!), keeping the oven use to a minimum is a huge bonus. 

You also cook the eggs in the same pan as the potatoes, adding them in part of the way through. Read: Less dishes.

This is a perfect way to serve a crowd — if you double the recipe, use a 9x13 inch casserole dish!

Tex-Mex Potatoes & Eggs

Published June 7, 2018 by Caitlin Sherwood

Serves: 4   |    Total Time: 60 minutes

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Ingredients:

4 cups diced Yukon Gold potatoes

4-5 cups water

1/4 teaspoon baking soda 

1 tablespoon cooking oil (avocado oil or melted coconut oil)

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon ground paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground chili powder

1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for serving

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more for serving

4 eggs

Cilantro, minced, for serving

Optional: Avocado, for serving

Directions:

1. Preheat over to 425°F.
2. Place diced potatoes with water and baking soda in a pot and set on stove over medium-high heat. Water should complete cover potatoes -- if it does not, add more. Bring to a boil, and cook for 10 minutes.
3. Pour potatoes into a strainer and discard of water. Place potatoes in a glass baking dish. Drizzle with cooking oil, and the sprinkle with spices: garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Stir potatoes with a spatula until all are equally covered in oil and spices. Place in preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes.
4. Potatoes should be tender all the way through and starting to get crispy on the outside. Use a spoon to make four wells in the potatoes for the eggs. Crack an egg into each one, and then return the dish to the oven for 10-15 minutes, until egg whites are set and yolks are cooked to desired doneness.
5. Sprinkle with minced cilantro and salt & pepper to taste, and serve hot with sliced avocado.

Cinnamon, Berry + Pecan Baked Oatmeal

This cinnamon, berry and pecan oatmeal will fill your house with the smell of toasting nuts and maple.

Even if you don’t usually like oatmeal (I don’t) you should give baked oatmeal a try. The edges are crispy, almost like the topping on a crumble, and the middle is custardy. It doesn't have the same texture as a bowl of porridge--and to me, that's a plus. Baked oatmeal is almost like a breakfast cake (one you can feel good about) and it's super adaptable: you can add pretty much anything that suits your fancy, like bananas, peanut butter, or even chocolate chips. This version calls for pecans, which are one of my favorite nuts when toasted. Here, they add little bites of crunch between bursts of berry.

The full recipe serves about eight, six if the crowd is really hungry.

I would say this is a brunch recipe, good for any holiday, but I made it on Monday morning. What away to start the week! We topped to each slice with a dollop of Greek yogurt, but for a special occasion, whip cream sure would dress it up nice. The mint leaf on top is optional, but I love how it freshens it up.

Looking for more brunch recipes to serve a crowd? 

• Caramelized sweet potatoes are a great side dish

• This Denver Omelet Breakfast Casserole is grain-free and stuffed with peppers, cheese, and potatoes

• Try these Banana Nut Waffles made with almond flour!

• Get more ideas in the Foraged Breakfast eCookbook

Cinnamon, Berry + Pecan Baked Oatmeal

Published March 27, 2018 by Caitlin Sherwood

Serves: 8   |    Total Time: 45 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup whole milk yogurt
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cup rolled oats
• 1-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup frozen mixed berries (I used blueberries and blackberries)
• 1/2 cup pecans
• To serve: yogurt & a spring of mint

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine melted butter, maple syrup, milk, yogurt, egg, and vanilla extract. Whisk to combine.
3. Add oats, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt to bowl, and stir until a loose batter forms.
4. Fold in 1/3 cup of pecans (reserving the rest for the next step) and 1 cup berries. Stir as briefly as possible — the berries may turn batter purple if over mixed.
5. Scrape batter into a 9 inch x 9 inch glass baking dish and smooth into even layer. Arrange remaining pecans on the top of the oatmeal.
6. Bake for 30 minutes, until edges are set and top is golden. Center will still be soft. Allow to cool 5 minutes, then serve on plates with a dollop of yogurt and mint leaves.