This post is sponsored by ALDI. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This past month I lost my grandmother, my boodooboodoo. The teensiest woman in her very late eighties, she was succeeded by six strong sons and more grand children, great-grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren than we all have fingers and toes. My grandmother barely spoke a word of english, but my entire life, showed her love through tables and bowls filled with her impeccable homemade Persian feasts, through her laugh, through her visible interest. She prioritized her family and community in ever sense- opening her heart, her home, her table to any and all who entered. Engulfed by her love for nearly thirty years, I’d like to think that same sense of altruistic welcoming has trickled into and flourished within my cells, that my heart, my home, my table is the collective’s. Though every dish of hers was my favorite, today it felt appropriate to share one near and dear, my take on her kuku sabzi, a green frittata with caramelized zucchini and herbs. A simple yet divinely flavorful dish requiring minimal effort for a workweeks worth of nourishing meals or one impressive looking dinner party, this green frittata celebrates the lightness and brightness of late spring while keeping warm and savory. Made with the traditionally Middle Eastern flavors of cumin and dill, each bite is packed full of dark leafy greens, a richly caramelized zucchini, and an unctuousness found in the organic and free range eggs.
For this recipe, I used zucchini and a mixture of baby spinach, kale, and chard found at ALDI, but wonderfully forgiving, feel free to substitute summer squash and whatever leafy green you have available. With locations dotting the country (you can find your local store here), ALDI offers a no-frills grocery shopping experience focused on customers first through everyday low prices, available essentials, and partnerships with a wide variety of growers – including some local farmers – to offer their selection of fresh, in-season produce. Below you’ll find five of my ALDI favorites (all found within my kuku sabzi).
Organic Greens
ALDI offers a variety of organic greens, including baby spinach and kale, as well as a mixed option with chard. These organic greens can be utilized raw in your favorite smoothies and salads, can be wilted to include in a frittata or grain bowl, or can be served atop a more savory porridge.
Dried Herbs + Spices
In addition to their rotating selection of fresh herbs, ALDI offers dried herbs and spices, like oregano, turmeric, and cumin. Dried herbs and spices are not only shelf stable, keeping longer in your pantry than fresh do in your fridge (see you later food waste!), but also impart incredible flavor and allow for simple recipe diversity and elevation. Dried herbs and spices can be used in soups and stews, nut milks, dressings, curries, on roasted vegetables, and in smoothies.
Organic Produce
Offering shoppers a rotating selection of both conventional and organic produce, ALDI’s organic options include bananas, avocado, cucumber, apples, peppers, and citrus. Available at ALDI an accessible and cost conscious price point, organic produce are grown without the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, and genetically modified organisms. Organic produce find their way into almost all of my daily meals and snacks, like smoothies and porridges, macro bowls, Poe’s meals, our homemade pizza toppings, and summer salads.
Organic Condiments
Amongst their shelf stable products, ALDI offers organic oils and vinegars, including extra virgin olive oil and apple cider vinegar. Perfect for dressings, sipping solo, or including with roasted or sautéed vegetables, these are staples in our pantry and cooking.
Eggs
A high quality protein rich in healthful fats and vitamins, ALDI’s eggs are available at a cost conscious price point. More than just a breakfast commodity, eggs can be poached or fried and added to your macro bowls, included in your grain-free almond loaves and cinnamon raisin bagels, or celebrated in a workweek friendly frittata.
Green Frittata with Zucchini and Herbs
Makes 4-6 servings
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
¼ cup SimplyNature Extra Virgin Mediterranean Olive Oil, divided
1 large zucchini, diced
2 large handfuls SimplyNature Mixed Greens
½ cup fresh parsley
½ cup fresh dill
½ teaspoon SimplyNature Ground Cumin
8 large SimplyNature Organic cage-free eggs
salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, rack in the middle.
In a large cast iron skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the diced zucchini and stir to coat in oil. Sautee, stirring the zucchini regularly, until they’re lightly caramelized, but not burnt, about 7 minutes. Stir in greens until just wilted, an additional minute.
Allow zucchini and greens to cool slightly, and then transfer to a food processor fitted with an S-blade. Add the parsley, dill, cumin, and an additional tablespoon olive oil. Whiz until all ingredients are pureed.
Crack the eggs into a large bowl and whisk until the yolks are just broken. Then, whisk in the zucchini and greens mixture. Season to taste.
In the same large cast iron skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add the egg mixture, and then move the skillet to the pre-heated oven.
Cook for 20 minutes, or until the frittata looks slightly puffed and feels firm. Remove from heat, slice, serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutritional Information [per slice]
280 Calories, 22g Fat, 3.5g Carbohydrates, 1.5g Fiber, 2g Sugar, 13.5g Protein
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