Rainbow Chard Frittata

This year I planted some rainbow chard. I’ve always liked the brightly colored ribs on this green leafy veg, enough that I’m considering planting it as a decorative (yet edible) addition to my front yard flower garden. But I thought I’d better try it out in the backyard garden first, see how it grows, like a mini-audition for the big time.

Other than a few bug bites and rabbit nibbles, it’s grown beautifully. I finally got out in the garden the other day and ended up harvesting a bounty.


With these gorgeous greens and some goat cheese on hand, I had visions of galettes. In Praise of Leftovers sings about galettes, how practical and easy they are, a perfect vehicle for using up the tidbits of whatever is laying around in your fridge. So I thought yes, I shall make a galette. And it will be good. Amen.

I cleaned the greens. I cut the leaves off the ribs. I chopped them and sautéed them in olive oil and garlic, fragrant and lovely…and then life interrupted. Or more specifically, my sweet baby interrupted by waking up from his nap.


No worries. I’ll just go with the flow and put my prepped greens in the fridge. I’ll get around to making the galette dough and rolling it out soon enough…

This was all on Sunday. Now it’s Thursday and those greens were still sitting in my fridge, needing to be used asap. And I wasn't seeing a free 20 minutes anytime soon to get that dough thrown together, rolled out, and then baked in a 400 degree oven in the middle of a 100 degree day.

Can we do a Zack Morris timeout right here?

I think I’m doing ok with the baby/work/marriage juggle. Well, maybe marriage isn’t getting the focus it should – thankfully my husband is a patient man. And Ben hangs out with grandparents and babysitters quite a bit. And frankly, work has been a mess lately too. Now that I think about it, maybe I’m not really doing anything well right now. But doesn't every modern American mom aim to be just a little bit better than adequate at everything? That's my goal right now, at least. Do it all, get it done, let's go go go.

It doesn’t help that I also have this habit of doing things The Hard Way. In my mind, The Hard Way is almost always equivalent to The Right Way, but in the end they are a string of self-inflicted time sucks.

Time Suck #1: the washable diaper.


I love these diapers, but it’s an extra load of laundry (two cycles, mind you) every other day. Maybe not the best use of my time, but I'm holding out for all the cash I'll earn someday from all those carbon credits I'm not using...wait, people aren't buying those yet?

Time Suck #2: pumping.


I am more intimate with my breast pump that my spouse right now. It’s the first thing I do in the morning, along with eating breakfast and checking my email. All at the same time (yes, I am the multi-tasker extraordinaire). I run home at noon to pump over lunch. I run home after work to pump yet again. I try not to think too philosophically about it, but you have to admit that it’s a strange thing to be hooked up to a machine to feed your child “naturally.”

Time Suck #3: the garden


I can’t imagine summer without it, but there is a time commitment to gardening. If you don't put in some time for maintenance, weeds will overtake your veggies. I’ve learned this from experience. Many Saturday mornings I am up before most people (and before my baby) puttering out there. It’s my only real chance to enjoy it.

We all make choices and priorities. I could be making the dough right now rather than blogging about not making the dough (yes, this blog is a time suck as well). But these are things I love, things that bring joy and beauty into my life. It may take a little more time, a little more energy, but these are my choices.

However, I can still complain a little about it, right?

Ok, time in.

Long story short, the galette dough just didn’t happen (I'll try it someday, Sarah, I promise). In the meantime, frittata to the rescue!


Now don’t mind me as I eat a slice while hooked up to the pump and the laptop.

Ah, modern motherhood.


Rainbow Chard Frittata

I made this with LOTS of greens. You could certainly get by with half the chard - or mix it up by throwing in whatever veggies and cheese you have on hand.

2 bunches rainbow (Swiss) chard, chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

6 eggs, beaten

2-3 oz. goat cheese

Olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper

Heat a couple swirls of olive oil in a pot; add chard and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and saute for 10-15 minutes or until cooked down and softened, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

Heat a couple swirls of olive oil in a 9" cast iron pan. Add eggs; sprinkle egg surface with chard and then cheese. Season with salt and pepper and let cook until set on the bottom, about 5 minutes (egg will still be runny on top). Move oven rack to top position and turn broiler to High. Set the cast iron pan with the frittata under the broiler for a couple minutes until egg is set and surface is starting to brown. Watch it carefully so it doesn't burn!

Remove from broiler and let set a couple minutes. Loosen sides with spatula and then courageously flip frittata onto large plate, slice, let cool a bit, and serve.