As I mom, I always think about what my kids will remember when they get older. Will they remember all the times they woke up to Easter eggs magically appearing in the backyard? Or perhaps they will remember the trips to the apple orchard where we picked our own apples from the trees, then stuffed ourselves full of apple pie before the long ride home? Maybe the trips to the beach? And I’m pretty sure that Christmas will be a top memory as the two older ones have already requested Christmas movies, have drawn trees and letters to Santa, and have asked to review the sprinkle stash so they can plan out their Christmas cookies decorations – and it’s not even Thanksgiving yet!
But I also wonder if they will remember being trapped inside the house because where we lived was covered so badly in forest fire smoke that we couldn’t spend any time outside. I wonder if they will remember how I worried about them everyday, asking their dad to get a job in another state to escape this now-yearly disaster, and keeping them in the house like some sort of caged animals that just wanted to run free.  I hope they don’t remember that every sentence out of my mouth started with, “We can’t, because of the smoke…” Or the plans that got cancelled, the playdates that got moved to “some other time,” our lives that seemed to be sitting on hold until we could again, go outside.
It seems so simple really – outside. Like, “Mommy, can I go outside?” Any other day or week I would be screaming, “then just go outside!!” because they needed to get their wiggles out so badly that they were driving me (and everyone else) nuts!! How strange that outside is the enemy, like some sort of science fiction novel (hey, Stephen King) and we are all trapped inside until further notice.
So inside it is. Inside projects and playtime, inside art projects and fort building, inside dress up parties and of course, cooking.
We’ve made chocolate chip cookies and lemon bars, big batches of soup for dinner and the freezer, and more waffles and pancakes then I care to count!! And in between all of these cooking projects we spiralized all the veggies we could find in the house.
Let me tell you two things that I learned from this project right now – 1. spiralizing vegetables is a wonderful way to keep kids busy when they are stuck indoors as it takes a bit of time to turn the handle when you are 7 or 3 years old (not so much when you are an adult) and 2. creativity is your friend. Because don’t you know that when we were all done spiralizing, I was left with piles and piles of colorful veggies that needed a good home!!
I added veggie noodles to spaghetti noodles which my 7 year old loved, and my 3 year old hated (no veggies!); I made this winter vegetable salad which was delicious (!!), and then I whipped up this beautiful butternut squash and goat cheese frittata. Just a simple frittata made with some roasted red bell pepper, baby greens, a sprinkling of goat cheese and those gorgeous butternut squash noodles seen above.
It’s a quick and healthy way to enjoy some extra veggies, and would make a great Thanksgiving breakfast for your family or guests before the cooking commences. And it would make a great meal the day after – using up any left over roasted squash or veggies you are looking to re-home. Frittatas can even be frozen – in case you too have 75 pounds of spiralized veggies on your counter….eeek – or cut them into smaller pieces and serve them as an appetizer. Any way you choose to enjoy this recipe, I promise it will be delicious!!
XO,
Jenn
butternut squash and goat cheese frittata
makes 6-8 servings – special equipment – you will need a spiralizer (get one here) or a very sharp knife
1 medium butternut squash
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped roasted red bell pepper
4 cups hearty baby greens (I used a mizuna/spinach/baby kale blend but just one of these would work just fine)
8 eggs
1/4 cup milk or non-dairy milk
1/4 teaspoon mild paprika
salt
pepper
2 ounces fresh goat cheese
Using a sharp knife, cut the butternut squash in half – separating the solid top piece (stem) from the bottom piece (seeds), and reserving the bottom piece for another use. Place the cut side of the squash onto a cutting board and carefully remove the skin and discard. Cut the stem off of the squash and discard.
Attach the squash piece to the spiralizer fitted with the thin noodle attachment, and spin the squash into noodles. Pile the noodles onto a plate and set aside.
Preheat your oven to the broil setting and place your oven rack in the middle of your oven.
Whisk the eggs and the milk together, season with salt and pepper and the paprika. Set aside.
Place a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil and the onions to the pan. Sauté the onions until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the red peppers and greens to the pan, and cook until the greens are wilted – about 3 minutes – stirring occasionally while the greens wilt down.
Add 3 – 4 cups of the spiralized squash to the skillet and push it around with a spoon to evenly distribute.  Pour the egg mixture over the squash and move it around with your spoon slightly to get everything distributed. Using your hands, sprinkle the goat cheese over the egg mixture.
Turn the heat down to medium and cook the frittata on the stove until the egg starts to set on the sides of the pan. Then turn off the heat and place the pan into the oven. Broil the top of the frittata until it becomes golden brown and the egg has fully set, about 5-8 minutes. Remove the frittata from the oven and allow to cool slightly before cutting.
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