In comedy and in nature is it not the element of surprise that delights us? Are we a little surprised to discover the delicate colors, the vibrant colors and the contrast in flowers, fish, birds, animals, the sky, and the cosmos?

I’m fond of science, nature and surprise and on this almost-spring day was surprised by spinach. I can almost see you sitting, looking at your monitor, saying to yourself – ‘good grief, she was surprised by spinach; I hope she wasn’t startled.’

In nutritional science, findings so often move in a very unsurprising direction. We know, for example, that generally, when you allow fresh harvested fruits and vegetables to be exposed to light it destroys some of the nutrients. Imagine my surprise, when I read a report published by the American Chemical Society in their February 4, 2010 edition of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. What they discovered is that the fluorescent lighting in supermarkets not only makes some produce look tastier – it can also make some greens healthier. The USDA scientists ‘rocked my boat – I must say it was a pleasant rocking’ when they reported that continuous lighting like that in supermarkets actually boosts the nutritional value of fresh spinach.

The researchers compared the nutritional value of spinach stored in the dark and the spinach that was stored in clear plastic and exposed to continuous light. The spinach that was exposed to the light had a higher concentration of vitamin C, folic acid, vitamin K, vitamin E, lutein (one of hundreds of carotenoids – phytonutrients – plant nutrient) and zeaxanthin (another carotenoid).  Now I know that this list of nutrients contains words a 3^rd grader cannot pronounce, but this long list of nutrients in not mixed in as additives. They are not found on the FDA-prescribed label – the spinach just has them all.  These are naturally produced as the spinach grows. There are so many of them, and they are all important, not just the vitamins and minerals. And the surprise is that even after the spinach leaves are cut off, washed, and packaged, exposure to light in the supermarket enables those very productive spinach leaves to keep turning light into nutrients by the magic of photosynthesis!

I admit it; I’m one of those people that reach to the back or bottom of the case at the ‘big-box stores’ to get to a bag least touched by the light. This new finding may actually lead to improved ways of managing and enhancing the nutritional value of spinach and maybe eventually even other vegetables. The researchers certainly have a new avenue for discovery. Surely, spinach is already considered a super food – loaded with nutrients; but I don’t think we are getting too many of those nutrients at this time in our mostly processed food. Yes, Popeye had it right!

This morning we had spinach in our breakfast frittata.

Frittata - Vegetables for Breakfast

Want the flavors and nutrients of the Mediterranean with your breakfast? Try a frittata! Once you add the technique to your repertoire, you will discover that the variations are almost endless – just like the flavors. When I originally started making frittatas it was to satisfy a desire to use more of our garden vegetables; in addition, I liked the idea of using fewer eggs for an egg breakfast. Now frittata breakfast has become a ‘just for pleasure’ meal.

Dr. Grandpa, who seemed quite delighted by the Frittata, wrote a little note to celebrate it.

“A Frittata only comes along once in a while for breakfast in Doctor Grandma’s kitchen.  It is a special treat. It has all the visual appeal, the aroma, and the mouth-feel of the most palatable and appealing foods. Above all, it has that special significance of knowing that it is a choice that will keep us feeling great (and thinking clearly—good brain food), as we get older, in mind as well as body. That knowledge adds a huge boost to the palatability of good foods. It is a knowledge that we don’t have to sacrifice delightful tastes in order to get healthy breakfast foods. It is a knowledge that the slow burning of the complex carbs and other ingredients will not spike our blood sugar and send us scouting for snacks before lunch when the spike drops off. The sensory satisfaction and the knowledge of how to live in happiness and health are in balance.”

Ingredients:

1 medium chopped onion

1 cup chopped mushrooms, I used baby portabellas.

2 medium zucchinis, chopped

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 red pepper, chopped

2 cups chopped spinach

1 teaspoon dry basil leaves (or 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil)

Black pepper, to taste

½ teaspoon salt, or to taste

6 extra large eggs (about 1 ½ cup whole egg or egg substitute)

1/3 cup non-fat milk

2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Chop the longer cooking vegetables; in this case, the onion, mushrooms and zucchini. Add the vegetables to an ovenproof skillet with the oil; sauté at a medium high heat. While the first vegetables are cooking, chop the quick cooking vegetables; red pepper and spinach. The vegetables need to cook a while; to dry them out a bit, or else the frittata might be runny instead of soft-firm. When the first vegetables are cooked, add the basil or other herbs, and the chopped pepper and spinach. This phase of cooking will not take very long. Sauté for a few minutes past the wilting of the spinach. While the spinach is cooking, whip the eggs, milk, ½ teaspoon of salt, or less, and the black pepper. Remove the vegetables from the skillet; and pour in the egg mixture back into the skillet, without cleaning the skillet. Heat the egg mixture at a low heat, without stirring. While the eggs are cooking put the vegetables back into the skillet, on top of the cooking eggs. When the edges of the eggs are beginning to set, sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Put the skillet under the broiler, for 3 – 4 minutes, until the top is browned. Slice into wedges and serve.

Notes: If you discover that you have cooked too many vegetables; put them in a covered container, for another day – then you’re set, ready for a real fast frittata.

Gather the veggies.

Chop the veggies up.

Put the chopped veggies in a skillet.

Chop the quick cooking vegetables.

Saute the first veggies until the onions are clear.

Add the basil or other herbs.

Chop the surprising spinach.

Add the chopped spinach and red peppers to the skillet.

Saute all the vegetables.

Remove the vegetables from the skillet.

Pour egg/milk mixture into a non-stick oven proof skillet.

Add the vegetables back to the top of the cooking egg mixture.

Sprinkle the Parmesan on top.

Serve a wedge of your really delicious frittata.