Culture

I read somewhere that root vegetables are the kale of 2015. This news excites me greatly as I am the kumara’s biggest fan. I have been trying to nourish my body with more than just scrambled eggs three times a day. I love eggs — they are so cheap and such a great source of protein. The only problem is that while I love a good salad, my budget and enthusiasm get in the way. I feel like the lack of colour may be a contributing factor to my dwindling afternoon energy levels. The answer to my monotonous and monotonal meal crisis came to me in the form of a frittata.

M y frittatas are basically a bunch of roasted seasonal vegetables, a handful of baby spinach, half a block of feta and as many eggs as it takes to cover it all. Recently I have been topping them off with a handful of sunflower seeds to give an extra nutrient boost and to give the top an awesome crunchy texture.

Scout your local vege shop for the season’s most affordable produce. Aubergines and courgettes are super cheap right now. Kumara and carrots are always a good option. Chop everything into roughly the same size, but make the denser, slower-cooking veges slightly smaller so they are all cooked at the same time. I sometimes make these in muffin tins lined with muffin cases to save cooking time. Each muffin-sized portion makes a great snack between meals too. These take only 15 minutes in the oven.

Ingredients

Makes 12 portions

• 1 large kumara, chopped into 1.5cm cubes
  
• 2 small beetroots, chopped into 1cm cubes
  
• 3 carrots, sliced into discs
  
• 1 aubergine, sliced into 2cm pieces
  
• Splash of olive oil
  
• 100g feta, crumbled
  
• half a bag of baby spinach leaves
  
• 18–20 large eggs
  
• ½ cup sunflower seeds
  
• 1 handful of grated tasty cheese
  
• salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius and line a large oven tray with baking paper. Toss the cubed vegetables in the splash of oil, then spread over the tray. Season with salt and pepper and roast for 25 or so minutes until they are soft and the edges start to caramelise.
   
2. Line a 25x25cm or 20x30cm slice tin with baking paper. Scatter the cooked vegetables onto the base, then toss through the baby spinach leaves. Sprinkle the feta over the mix.
   
3. Whisk together all the eggs and another seasoning of salt and pepper, then pour this over the vegetables. Top with the grated cheese, then the sunflower seeds.
   
4. Reduce the oven temperature to ​180 degrees.
   
5. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the centre is only just firm to the touch and the top has browned slightly. Remove and cool for ten minutes on the bench before slicing. The frittata will keep in the fridge for around five days, so it is great to make on a Sunday for the week ahead.
   
6. Enjoy!