Healthy Frittata Recipe with Corn, Gruyere, & Canadian Bacon (only 4 WW points per serving!) (2024)
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These past few days, I’ve been enjoying time with two granddaughters, my eldest son, and his wife. I’ve mostly stuck to tried and true recipes, like my easy, make-ahead salmon skewers and my pesto chicken thighs, but today I wanted to blow their socks off with brunch.
But there was a catch.
How do I make something delicious that everyone will love without blowing all of my Weight Watchers Freestyle points for the day? It also needed to be easy, quick, and not too many crazy ingredients that I couldn’t find at my local supermarket. Also, when you are cooking for various palates, like your grandkids, it’s safest to stick with the basics.
But basic is boring! So I decided to take a risk.
Spoiler alert: the risk paid off.
First, I wanted it to be high in protein, colorful, and appropriate for the season. With this late summer heat on my mind, I knew that something corny and cheesy was probably a good foundation for success. I opted for a frittata because 1) they are so easy, 2) they sound fancy, and 3) you can basically make them with anything you have on hand.
Flavors of Late Summer
Before we get into the recipe details, let’s talk about the flavors first.
Corn is just so perfect for this time of year. It would be a shame to not put it in basically everything. Especially since its ZERO points. I even make sure to freeze some so I can enjoy the taste of August in the winter. I know. Genius, right?
And what goes best with corn? Eggs are a sure bet. Their flavors and textures and colors are just made for each other.
The nutty Gruyere is the perfect indulgence to add, although I would guess that cheddar would be a good substitute. Gruyere is sometimes a bit challenging to find at the store, but I did find it at my local Albertsons.
What Makes a Healthy Frittata Recipe?
Canadian bacon isn’t just for Hawaiian Pizza after all! My first instinct was real bacon, but the truth is it doesn’t need something that fatty when there’s so much amazing flavor happening already.
The jalapeño brings a little heat, but not too much. My husband, who is basically spice-averse, didn’t even notice the jalapeño. Another zero point winner right here.
I suspect that a 1/2 tsp of smoked paprika would be simply heavenly in this recipe as well, but I didn’t try it myself. I certainly will next time.
Alright, let’s get down to it. Here’s my recipe for a delicious, healthy, and weight watchers friendly frittata that your whole family will enjoy, at only 4 points per serving. Everyone in my household loved it. There wasn’t even one slice left. Nada.
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Healthy Frittata Recipe with Corn, Gruyere, & Canadian Bacon (only 4 WW points per serving!)
Author:Marie
Total Time:20
Yield:6 servings 1x
Print Recipe
Ingredients
Scale
8 eggs
1/4 cup fat-free milk
4 ounces cubed Gruyère or Cheddar cheese, divided
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
cooking spray
5 oz Canadian Bacon, diced
1.5 cups fresh corn kernels
4 scallions, chopped plus more for garnish
1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
Instructions
Preheat broiler to high and adjust top rack to at least 6 inches from broiler.
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and fat-free milk. Add half the cheese (2 oz) and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Heat a 10-inch oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat and spritz with 2 sprays of cooking spray. Add Canadian bacon and cook for 4 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
Spritz two sprays of cooking spray and add corn, scallions, andjalapeño in skillet along with 1 TBS water for about 4 minutes until veggies have softened and water has evaporated. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Spritz veggies with one more spray of cooking spray to make sure the frittata will be easy to remove from the skillet.
Pour egg mixture into skillet and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes until the bottom and edges are set. Sprinkle the remaining cheese, bacon, and a bit of scallion over the top.
Place skillet under broiler and broil for about 5 to 6 minutes until top beautifully golden brown and the eggs have set.
A frittata is partially cooked in a skillet on the cooktop then finished in the oven. It also has a lower egg to dairy ratio making it closer to an open faced omelet than a pie. Quiche has a creamier, custard-like texture due to more dairy and is cooked entirely in the oven.
They are full of healthy nutrients and are a great source of protein. Next, frittatas are an easy dish to add lots of colourful vegetables to (that even kids and fussy eaters will love)- here are a few of my favourites to add: pumpkin, broccoli, baby spinach, capsicum, mushroom, tomato and red onion.
While it's similar to an omelet, crustless quiche, and Spanish tortilla, the way a frittata is cooked is what sets it apart. Frittatas are generally thicker than omelets. A frittata is made with the exact same ingredients as an omelet, but here, the milk, or more preferably, cream, is crucial.
The best choice for making frittatas, cast iron skillets can safely go from stovetop to oven, and they conduct heat well and evenly. Seasoning a cast-iron pan gives it a non-stick quality, so a well-seasoned skillet will result in the easiest slicing & serving.
But unlike omelets, egg frittatas can serve a family fast. And unlike most egg recipes, a four-serving frittata cooks all at once without any flipping or fuss. Plus, since there's no crust (like quiches), it makes it a healthier breakfast option.
A frittata is normally laden with olive oil and uses lots of eggs, all calorific; but, my low-fat and two egg version REALLY is just as delicious as a normal richly egged version. This recipe weighs in at an incredible 400 calories for TWO servings, so a VERY low 200 calories per portion.
So: eating a cooked egg would let you absorb 91% of the protein. A raw egg would give you 50% of the protein. This means that since (normally) an omelet is cooked slightly more then a scramble you might get a very small increase of protein (absorbed)then by scrambling.
Classic sides for a frittata include a fresh green salad, fruit salad, crispy potatoes and/or some fresh bread, scones or toast. Bacon, ham or sausage are also popular side dishes.
Tough vegetables like potatoes, squash and onions need to be pre-cooked since they will not have time enough to soften before the eggs are done. Raw meats such as bacon and sausage also need more time and heat to cook through safely, so get them prepped before your other ingredients.
Adding a bit of dairy, whether it's cream or thick yogurt, is essential for getting the moisture and creaminess of the frittata just right. For every dozen eggs, use a half cup of dairy.
A frittata, sometimes called a crustless quiche, has no crust, and you can bake it directly in a pan or skillet. 2. The filling: A quiche is a custard tart, but a frittata contains less dairy. The filling in a quiche follows the ratio of one large egg to one-half cup of dairy.
Frittatas make great use of leftovers, cook up in 15 minutes and are mealtime-agnostic: they don't feel out of place at breakfast, lunch, dinner, or any snack time in between. Plus, if you have leftovers, frittatas reheat quite well, making them a double leftover combo.
You can think of a frittata as an Italian omelette. The origin of the word frittata is the Italian friggere, "fried," and in Italy it was once a common way to describe any egg dish cooked in butter or oil in a pan.
Introduction: My name is Arline Emard IV, I am a cheerful, gorgeous, colorful, joyous, excited, super, inquisitive person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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