Post Workout Cast Iron Skillet Frittata

I am always trying to come up with new high protein meals for after our morning workouts. We are both training for the Tacoma Half Marathon in May and lately have been upping the intensity and length of our workouts. As a consequence, we come home craving fat and protein and carbs. If I don't have something planned, we will eat junk food.

Today I made Frittata. I like to cook with eggs quite a bit. Usually I am poaching them on sauteed kale. Today I decided we needed something heartier but still wanted to use kale.

Onion, Kale, and Cheddar Frittata

3-4 Tablespoons olive oil
1 large red or white onion, halved and sliced into slivers then halved again
1/2 large bunch kale, sliced thin
salt
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 eggs
3/4 cup sharp cheddar
2 Tablespoons pine nuts (optional)

Start by heating up your skillet to medium with a little olive oil in it. Add red onions and cook, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes.

While the onions are cooking, chop up some kale. Yum. Any type of kale.

Add to skillet along with a little more oil and a smattering of salt.

Stir and then cover. (Like my improvising on the lid? Gotta work with what you have.) It looks like a lot at first but then it cooks down. Cook, covered, for about 8 minutes, or until kale is really wilted.

While that is cooking, blend eggs with fork in large bowl. Add cheddar and mix again.

After kale is pretty well cooked, remove cover, add garlic, and cook for about 30 seconds. You don't want to burn that garlic.

Add kale and onion mix to bowl of eggs and cheddar and blend well. Wipe out cast iron skillet and lightly coat with 1 or 2 Tablespoons of oil. Pour egg mix into skillet, keeping it over medium heat. Not high heat, or the bottom of your frittata will be burnt! Cover again, this time with a sheet pan. You want it to cook just enough for the top to set, but it will still be wet looking.

While frittata is cooking on stove, preheat your broiler. Check after 5 minutes, but it could take up to 10 to start to set.

Here it is just set but still wet looking. Put under the broiler for 1-2 minutes to brown the top. I added a couple of Tablespoons of pine nuts just before putting it under the broiler.

It's a little harder to tell in this photo, but the frittata is nicely browned and set in the middle. You don't want to over cook it, however. Overcooked eggs taste rubbery.
With only 6 eggs, we managed to split the entire yummy goodness for lunch.

Note: I used a 12" cast iron skillet and the frittata came out extra thin. A 10" might be better or next time I will double my recipe and cook it a little longer and then have leftovers for lunch the next day.