“We can sleep til we get up.”  That’s what we love about Saturday mornings.  We did at least until we got a puppy.  Now we “sleep til Scrappy Thyme gets up.”  So while I lay in bed this morning waiting for her to call to us, I was thinking about breakfast.  And how I might use up the mother load of leftover fresh salad ingredients that had taken over my fridge.

That’s when I decided to make a Veggie Frittata.

Earlier in the week, I made an industrial sized salad to share at the office.  I used the very biggest bowl I own and filled it with lots and lots of colorful fresh greens and herbs and veggies.  It was a big hit, yet it left me with about an equal amount of those ingredients still in my fridge.

So I began dicing and slicing until I had a nice pile of veggies, eggs, a little goat cheese, greens dressed lightly in a my wonderful new Tuscan Herb Olive Oil, and flour tortillas.  They weren’t part of the original plan, but they too were begging to be used.  We’ll figure that out in a bit.

I lightly sautéed the veggies in a little olive oil, building the layers one by one beginning with ingredients that release moisture (mushrooms & tomatoes), adding the ones that take a little longer (shallots, then peppers & zucchini), finishing with what I like almost as is (scallions & crumbled goat cheese).  I intentionally left the veggies crisp-tender so they would remain bright and flavorful.  I beat some eggs with salt & pepper then drizzled it over the veggie mixture, rotating the pan to be sure the egg was evenly distributed.

Once the egg was set on the bottom and mostly set on the top, I flipped the mixture (put a plate over it, carefully flipped the pan, then slid the mixture back into the pan).  Or you could transfer to the oven and allow it to bake until set.  I topped the frittata with a massaged salad of baby greens and fresh herbs, drizzled with a little olive oil.  Ta Da.  Veggie Frittata is complete and we have breakfast option #1.  However, I believe you should have choices.

Enter the Veggie Frittata Breakfast Burrito.  Warm flour tortilla, filled with veggie frittata and greens salad, rolled into goodness.  Still haven’t grabbed your full attention?

Welcome Veggie Frittata Quesadilla.  Flour tortilla into a buttered skillet, add a wedge of frittata, some baby greens, and top with a few slices of Colby Jack cheese.  Fold tortilla in half and cook on each side until golden brown.  Slice into wedges and call me brilliant.

Did you see how much fun it can be to Eat Out of the Fridge/Pantry.  Always let your imagination and sense of flavor adventure be your guide.  Enjoy.

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Veggie Frittata {Breakfast Burrito or Quesadilla}

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For veggie frittata…

• 1 Tbl. olive oil
• 2-3 mushrooms sliced
• 6-8 cherry tomatoes halved
• 1 shallot thinly sliced
• 1 small zucchini thinly sliced
• 2-3 mini-bell peppers julienned
• 2 scallions thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
• 1/2 tsp. Mrs. Dash garlic & herb seasoning
• salt & pepper
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups baby greens
• 1/4 cup fresh soft herb leaves such as basil, cilantro, lemony thyme
• 2 Tbl. olive oil

For breakfast burrito (in addition to above)…

• 2 flour tortillas

For quesadilla (in addition to above)…

• 2 Tbl. butter
• 2 flour tortillas
• 2 slices Colby Jack or Cheddar cheese

Instructions

For veggie frittata…

• In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté veggies (except baby greens) in 1 Tbl. olive oil until slightly softened (yet still crisp tender). Sprinkle with Mrs. Dash seasoning, salt & pepper, and crumbled goat cheese.
• Beat eggs in a small bowl, season with salt & pepper. Pour over veggie mixture, tilting pan to be sure eggs are evenly distributed. Use a rubber spatula to lift edges allowing egg to run under. Cook until bottom is set and top is mostly set. Flip mixture in sections or by using the plate method. Cook other side just a minute. Slide frittata onto a serving plate.
• Massage baby greens and herbs with olive oil and salt & pepper. Pile on top of frittata and serve.

For breakfast burrito…

• Wrap flour tortillas in paper towels and microwave for 15 seconds.
• Lay warm tortilla on a plate, top with a slice of frittata and baby greens. Roll then slice in half to serve. Repeat with second tortilla.

For quesadilla…

• Melt 1 Tbl. butter in skillet over medium heat. Lay in flour tortilla with a slice of frittata, baby greens, and top with sliced cheese. Fold tortilla in half. Cook on each side until golden brown. Repeat with second tortilla.

The post Veggie Frittata {Breakfast Burrito or Quesadilla} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

I’m writing this post while Summer Breeze by Seals & Croft is playing in the background (from a youtube link on the page of a friend) :)  Maybe I’m longing for summer a lot earlier than usual or perhaps it’s that Mother Nature is teasing us.  Freezing rain yesterday, 50’s today.  It’s Saturday, the sun is shining, I’m having Tuna Cakes with Citrus Salad for lunch, and these words are speaking to me:

See the smile a-waitin’ in the kitchen

food cookin’ and the plates for two

Feel the arms that reach out to hold me

in the evening when the day is through.

Summer breeze

makes me feel fine

blowing through the jasmine in my mind…

This Tuna Cakes with Summer Breeze Citrus Salad recipe was born out of the ingredients in our Fridge/Pantry.  I’m beginning to think that’s my niche.  I’m far more creative and pay closer attention to flavors & seasoning when I’m not working from a recipe.  And when I get the chance to sleep in, or at least ‘lounge in’ for the first time in two weeks….I’m not going to the grocery store.

I started with a can of tuna, added fresh shredded and diced veggies, an egg, a little mayo, and panko breadcrumbs to bind.  Seasoned and spiced the way we like it, with a handful of fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lemon juice for pop.  Before making all the patties, I cooked up two bite-sized samplers so I could adjust the seasoning if necessary.  Simply announcing Tuna Cakes for lunch wasn’t going to pique the interest of many.  Mother Nature may have taught me a little something about the power of teasing :)

What started as a can of tuna evolved into these deliciously fresh Tuna Cakes, full of bright flavors.  Served on a bed of baby greens with a drizzle of olive oil, sprinkle of sea salt & freshly cracked pepper, a squeeze of fresh citrus juice, and a dollop of sriracha mayo.  Oh how I can taste you warm Summer Breeze.

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Tuna Cakes {with Summer Breeze Citrus Salad}

Course Appetizer, Salad

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the tuna cakes…

• 12 oz. can Albacore Tuna
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 scallion thinly sliced
• 4-5 baby carrots shredded
• 1 small zucchini shredded
• 2 Tbl. red onion fine diced
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves chopped
• 1 squeeze fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper

For the sauce…

• 3 Tbl. mayonnaise for sauce
• 1 Tbl. ketchup
• 1/2 tsp. sriracha sauce

For the salad…

• 2 cups baby greens
• 2 Tbl. olive oil
• 1-2 Tbl. fresh citrus juice lemon, orange, and/or lime
• sea salt & freshly cracked pepper

Instructions

For the tuna cakes…

• Combine all tuna cake ingredients in medium bowl and blend together using a fork. Make a small test cake and pan fry on both sides over medium heat until golden brown. Taste, and adjust seasoning accordingly. Continue to make 6 larger equal size cakes. Pan fry on both sides over medium heat until golden brown.

For the sauce…

• Combine all ingredients. Refrigerate any unused portion.

To serve…

• Place a cup of baby greens on a plate, top with 3 tuna cakes. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt & freshly cracked pepper, squeeze on fresh citrus juice, and dollop with sriracha mayo.

Notes

The beauty of these tuna cakes is you can substitute according to ingredients in your pantry or fridge. It’s your chance to get happy.

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