Spinach Goat Cheese Frittata

A few nights ago, I made this Spinach Frittata. I had leftover goat cheese from the recipe earlier this week and my spinach was fading fast. So what's better and quicker than a frittata? Not much!

They make a great brunch dish, but also a faithful standby dish for quick weeknight dinners. And they're pretty healthy, but can be made healthier with a mix of whole eggs and egg whites. If I'm making a whole frittata for four people I use about 4 whole eggs and 6 egg whites. I was planning to make it smaller in my small frying pan so I was planning to use 2 whole eggs and 3 egg whites. But when I opened the eggs — drat. Only four eggs.

So I ended up using 4 whole eggs instead. The rest was pretty much as written except I just used whatever spinach I had and wilted it in the pan with the garlic and onions instead of pre-cooking it. I don't think it made a whole lot of difference. I could see why you'd want to if you're dealing with a pound of spinach.. that's a ton of spinach! But I just used about 2 big handfuls per serving. Also, if you don't like goat cheese, feta would also be delicious!

Now on to a different subject: My "diet." I received a question the other day about how I stick to my diet. I decided the answer warrants part of a post.

First of all, I don't see this as a diet. This isn't temporary. I'm trying to make this a lifestyle change — a habit. I think that's why this is like the 5th time I've had to re-lose weight. I get to whatever goal I've set, slowly go back to old habits, and the weight creeps back. So I've stopped even calling this a diet. I don't want to go back to eating crap.

I'm not perfect — in fact, I'm fairly lax. I'm sometimes down one week, up the next, down a lot another and stay the same the next. Could I lose faster? Probably. Do I really want to worry over every bite and spend hours in the gym? Nope. I've decided consistency is better than perfection. Plus, there's an overall downward trend and that's really all I care about. I eat better and am fitter than I was a year ago — so that tells me I'm on the right track.

Each week I plan out my meals including snacks and write up an exercise plan. Planning helps me a lot. I count up my points once a week and only worry about it again if I eat something not in my plan. I even try to plan ahead for special events. I look at menus ahead of time when going out. If I know I'm going out for drinks with some friends, I plan to have a couple and include that in my points for the week. I make up for it by eating a little lighter at another meal or stepping up my activity.

Some days I slip up. If there's an unplanned food event or and work is busy and I miss my workout, I try not to stress over it too much. While eating out I choose the best options I can and fill up on veggies and lean protein and whole grains if available. But mostly, I've come to realize one off day (or even two.. gasp!) isn't going to make you gain back all your weight. But giving up entirely will.

I also try to always listen to my hunger, but it's definitely what I struggle with most. If I'm hungry I eat, if I'm not, I don't. I try eat before I'm famished and stop before I'm completely full. On weeks I do well with this, I lose. Even if I wasn't perfect about writing everything down or tallying up my points. And, I make foods I love — with plenty of vegetables, lean protein and whole grains. When I feed myself well, I feel better and now when I don't — I pay the price!

Last but not least, my mantras: everything in moderation and don't do anything on your "diet" that you aren't 100% sure you could continue for a lifetime.