Lately, I’ve been into writing about no-drama ways to make more indulgent foods fit into your regular life. Sure, I could only post stereotypically healthy stuff (Oh look! Another totally original kale salad…) and #cleaningeating pod people food, but I want you to see how an overall healthy diet can include things like cheese. When most of our diet is comprised of foods that do us favors, there’s room for an occasional treat.

I know I can’t be the only cheese-lover out there. What’s funny is, I actually spent a good portion of my life thinking I was indifferent to cheese. I ate it sometimes, but I didn’t seek it out. Then I spent 3 weeks in Italy when I was 24 and was introduced to burrata. At first bite, I knew I had been operating under a false pretense. Did it turn me into an insatiable cheese beast? Haha no. What it did do, though, was wake me up to the fact that good cheese is a thing worth savoring. No more wasting my money on shelf-stable grated parm/cellulose or fat-free cream cheese (something I’m ashamed to admit my college self used to eat on rice cakes—glad I lost my taste for that combo).

Burrata (aka the Gateway Cheese) is an Italian cheese made of mozzarella and cream. The outside is regular solid mozzarella that forms a pouch, of sorts, and when you slice into it, you uncover a beautiful mess of stracciatella (a stringy, rich curd) and cream. So, essentially, as it was initially sold to me circa 2010, burrata is mozzarella injected with fresh cream.

Burrata is not f***ing around. It demands your attention and does not appreciated being dressed up in manufactured nonsense or asked to play second fiddle to other ingredients. It’s best when presented as the main attraction so you can experience the rich creaminess and rich yet subtle flavor. While not a “light” or low-calorie food (an ounce provides about 90 calories and 7 grams fat), it does provide protein and calcium and is very filling, so it will keep you satisfied a while.

I got the idea for this dish while out for brunch recently (or lunch, for us freaky morning people who don’t know how to sleep in on Saturdays) and spotted a baked egg dish with burrata on the menu. Though it sounded a little too heavy for what I was in the mood for that day, it got me brainstorming some ways to do an egg-with-burrata dish at home. After a few experiments, we had a winner.

Swapping in some whites for half the eggs and using a light touch with oil keeps things lighter so you have more room for the cheese. Paired with a simple side salad, it makes a well-balanced 450-500 calorie brunch or lunch. Heck, you could even have it for dinner.

Burrata Frittata

Ingredients:

• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 cups kale
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 eggs
• 4 egg whites
• 4 ounces burrata cheese (1 ball), cut into small pieces

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a cast iron skillet or other oven-safe pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic. Saute one minute or until fragrant.
3. Add kale. Saute until wilted. Add tomato. Cook another 2 or 3 minutes until tomatoes are soft. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Meanwhile, beat eggs and whites together.
5. Pour beaten egg mixture over vegetables. Lower heat to medium-low and cook 2-3 minutes.
6. Plate cheese evenly over egg-and-veggie mixture. Cook another minute.
7. Transfer skillet to oven and bake for 7-10 minutes or until frittata is set in the middle.
8. Remove pan from oven. Allow to cool for a few minutes.
9. To serve, divide frittata between two plates and serve alongside a simple green salad.

Serves 2-4

Nutrition Information Per Serving (1/2 a frittata): 356 calories, 29 grams protein, 11 grams total carbohydrate, 2 grams fiber, 22 grams fat (10 grams saturated), 209 mg cholesterol, 427 mg calcium (43% daily needs), 723 mg potassium (15% daily needS), 338 mg sodium, 2 mg iron (13% daily needs), 64 mg magnesium (21% daily needs), 77% vitamin A needs, 120% vitamin C needs

Have you ever tried burrata? What are your favorite omelet and frittata fillings? 

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