Today we are sharing with you one of our secret weapons in the kitchen when it comes to fertility nourishment AND easy to prepare food. Combining the best of both worlds! Frittatas are a staple in our own lives and we often suggest them to our clients, because not only are they incredibly quick and easy to make, they are also very versatile as well – meaning you can make one with just about anything you’ve got left over in the fridge! A seriously #mamafriendly recipe if you ask us and definitely one to add to your recipe repertoire while you’re baby prepping. Postpartum you will be very grateful, trust me!
Eggs are the star of the show in this recipe and one of the biggest fertility powerhouses going around. They are jam packed with protein, as well as many other crucial vitamins and minerals that are necessary during the preconception period, pregnancy and beyond. Let’s go into why we love eggs during the preconception phase.
To begin with, eggs are rich in a very important baby making nutrient called choline. Choline is a relative of the B-vitamin family and is heavily involved in the development of a healthy bub. When we think of important baby making nutrients, I’m sure folate comes to mind for many, but did you know that choline actually has some of the same beneficial effects and may be just as important as folate? Choline is involved in supporting brain development and preventing neural tube defects (1). Choline can also change the genetic expression of your future bub in a positive way (2). And guess what? Egg yolks are one of the two foods that have by far the highest concentration of choline!
Eggs are also a fantastic non-seafood source of DHA (these are far and few). DHA is an important omega-3 fatty acid that has been shown to be related to IQ in infants (3). Did you know that choline and DHA actually work synergistically together? Choline works to increase how much DHA is absorbed into cells. Pretty cool huh?! So it isn’t a coincidence that eggs are rich in both of these crucial nutrients and this is one of the big reasons eggs are at the top of our preconception, fertility & baby making foods list.
When it comes to buying eggs, we really want to emphasis the importance of sourcing eggs from happy chickens. What do we mean by that? Happy chickens in our minds are chickens that are raised on pasture (outside, roaming on grass and eating what chickens naturally would, as well as getting plenty of sunlight). It has been shown that eggs from chickens that have been raised on pasture are more nutrient-dense than conventionally-produced eggs or those that you can buy from the supermarket.
TIP: Have a neighbour or friend that has backyard chickens? Ask if you can start bringing around your fruit and vegetable scraps for them to eat in exchange for eggs!
So now that we have done a deep dive on eggs and why we love them so much, let’s get into the recipe.
The Ultimate Fertility Frittata Recipe
Makes 3-4 servings.
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs (or a couple more if using a big pan)
- ¼ cup of milk of choice
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- ¼ tsp celtic sea salt
- Cracked pepper
- Extra-virgin olive oil or butter
- Vegetables/ingredients on hand (some of our favourite combinations are spinach and feta, pumpkin and spinach, asparagus, broccoli and feta, mushroom and pumpkin)
Method
- Preheat your oven to 200 degrees celsius.
- Whisk the eggs in a bowl and add in the milk, garlic and salt until combined.
- Heat your butter or olive oil in a cast iron pan over medium heat.
- Chop your vegetables of choice into small, relatively evenly sized pieces.
- Once the pan is warm, add in your vegetables, starting with the hardest (such as broccoli) first and adding the softest (such as spinach) last.
- Cook over medium heat until vegetables become soft and tender.
- Pour over the egg mixture and lift the pan and give it a little turn and shake to evenly distribute the egg over the vegetables.
- If using feta or another cheese variety, sprinkle on top now.
- Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Place pan in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the egg mixture is firm and set.
- Garnish with any fresh herbs you have on hand and enjoy!
This makes for a perfect meal or snack for any time of the day. A breakfast option that will set you up for a balanced day, reduce cravings and keep you feeling full and energised. Or even a quick dinner idea if you’ve had a big day and don’t feel like cooking.
Let us know below your favourite flavour combinations and if you give this one a try at home!
Happy cooking!
Written by
Maddison Milton
Women’s Health Dietitian
The Women’s Wisdom Co Team
References
- “Shaw, Gary M et al. “Periconceptional dietary intake of choline and betaine and neural tube defects in offspring.” American Journal of Epidemiology 160.2 (2004): 102-109.”
- “Jiang, Xinyin et al. “Maternal choline intake alters the epigenetic state of fetal cortisol-regulating genes in humans.” The FASEB Journal 26.8 (2012): 3563-3574.”
- “Cohen, Joshua T., et al. “A quantitative analysis of prenatal intake of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and cognitive development.” American Journal of Preventive Medicine 29.4 (2005): 366-366.”