Colorful Protein-Packed Vegetarian Lunch

Protein doesn’t always have to come from meat and fish. Vegetarian meals can be just as well balanced, super tasty, and easy to make.

One of the recent favorites of our under-2-year-old recipe tasters is this Vegetable Frittata. It’s great for toddlers as well as any baby that has already been introduced to each of the ingredients.

It provides protein and fat from animal-based sources as well as calcium, acting as a great source of macro and micronutrients.

The colorful dish also makes it attractive to a toddler – not bad if you’re trying to convince them to eat!

The Vegetable Frittata Nutritional Stuff

It’s not a frittata without eggs! Apart from being high in protein, they are also a great source of choline, a nutrient often neglected, and one in which many people are deficient. They are also great sources of antioxidants called lutein and zeaxanthin which are helpful for the eyesight. These are found in the yolks so don’t separate them out for this recipe!

Whole cow’s milk provides additional protein, good fats as well as calcium.

Tomatoes are our vegetable choice, adding a wonderful color, as well as vitamins A and C, and a special antioxidant called lycopene which helps protect the heart. It’s best absorbed when mixed with fats, so the addition of olive oil and goat’s cheese has additional benefits in this recipe.

Apart from providing additional fat to the meal goat’s cheese also has protein, calcium, phosphorus, and certain B vitamins.

Olive oil is a great source of the “health y ” fats which protect the cardiovascular system.

Preparation Tips

When choosing eggs, organic and pastured are always a better choice than conventional ones. That helps to ensure that the chickens have not been treated with hormones or antibiotics, or raised in terrible conditions.

When choosing vegetables for your frittata you can always substitute the tomatoes with something else. Or add a second vegetable in addition to the tomatoes.