Eat This: Asparagus Frittata
This nutrient-packed, pro athlete-approved dish is a hearty, delicious meal—any time of day.
Breakfast for dinner, anyone? Photo: Hazel & Blue / Chris Corbin
By Linsey Corbin
@linseycorbin
This delicious, athlete-friendly recipe ticks a lot of the boxes for me when it comes to preparing a good meal: It’s quick and easy to make; it’s loaded with nutrient-dense vegetables and protein; and you can be flexible with the ingredients, using what you have on hand, what’s in season and what sounds good.
Ode to the egg! As an athlete, you can’t go wrong with eggs. One egg packs seven grams of complete protein and contains all eight essential amino acids required to build and maintain muscle. Unless you’re closely watching your cholesterol intake, as an athlete you shouldn’t limit to just egg whites. In a typical egg yolk, you’ll find half the protein, antioxidants and other crucial nutrients.
Some great pairings to this dish: a green salad, roasted potatoes or a side of whole-grain toast.
Recipe
(Serves 4)
Ingredients:
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and sliced into 2” pieces
2 ½ Tbs olive oil, divided
¾ pound mixed mushrooms (such as button, cremini or oyster), cut into large pieces
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
¼ Tsp chile flakes
¼ cup fresh herbs (such as parsley, dill or oregano), finely chopped
10 eggs
4 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled into quarter-sized pieces
Salt and pepper
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400˚F and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Lay asparagus on the baking sheet, drizzle with ½ tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 12 minutes or until the asparagus have started to char slightly, but still remain bright green. Set aside.
Reduce oven temperature to 350˚F.
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in an 10-inch cast iron skillet or other oven-proof pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, garlic and chile, season with salt and pepper and toss. Allow the mushrooms to cook down, stirring every few minutes. Once they have some crispy edges and any moisture has cooked away, stir in the herbs and turn the heat down to low.
Meanwhile, mix the eggs in a medium bowl and season with 1 teaspoon of salt and a few cracks of pepper.
Pour the eggs over the mushrooms, moving them around so they’re evenly distributed in the pan. Do not scramble the eggs. Dot the goat cheese over the eggs, again making sure it’s evenly distributed. Lay the asparagus on top of the eggs and season with a little more salt and pepper.
Put the skillet in the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, until the eggs are set but still slightly jiggly in the middle of the pan. Allow to rest for a few minutes before slicing, and serve warm.
Linsey (and her pup Chimmy) on her home gravel turf in Bend, Oregon. Photo: Chris Corbin
A FEW NOTES:
This is a free-form recipe, so feel free to use whatever ingredients speak to you. Add other vegetables, or swap out the cheese (or go without cheese!). You can substitute asparagus for another favorite green veggie, such as broccoli.
Don’t worry if you don’t have a 10” pan, you can go larger, or smaller, but just be aware you’ll need to adjust your baking time.
Fresh herbs take this from ordinary to extraordinary, but feel free to use what you have on hand, even if it’s dry seasonings. If using dry seasonings, reduce the amount from ¼ cup to 2 Tbs.
(Pro tip: Leftovers, which can be stored in the fridge up to a week, make for a great mid-morning snack!)
Based in Bend, Oregon, Linsey Corbin is a bonafide foodie, gravel enthusiast, and, oh yeah, decorated IRONMAN Champion. When she’s not training on her local trails and cozying up to her Golden Retriever, Chimmy, you can find her testing new recipes in her kitchen. Linsey and her husband, Chris, created a food blog, Hazel & Blue, where she shares her passion for healthy, delicious recipes designed for hard-charging athletes like her.
