Carb Solutions: Easy Cinco de Mayo Breakfast
Over half of the U.S. adult population, some 154 million, qualify as overweight or obese. Another 29 million of us have Diabetes, many as a direct result of being overweight. Then there are the 23.9 million overweight children dutifully following the example of their XXL adult role models. Diabetes and these extra pounds cost this country billions annually in both medical and economic resources, not to mention the effect these weight-related maladies have on a person’s overall mental well-being and happiness. However, both diabetes and being overweight are very manageable, even preventable, with a few lifestyle tweaks. By maintaining a sensible diet in conjunction with some consistent exercise, no matter how minimal, we can all be in total control of our own weight. One easy way to start taking that control is to make decisions about the foods we eat based on the glycemic index [GI] and glycemic load [GL].
Simply put, our bodies convert all foods into sugar calories that provide energy to the body via the bloodstream. The Glycemic Index assigns a score of 1 to 100 to all foods based on how quickly the body converts that food into sugar. Foods that break down slowly enable the body to assimilate these calories of energy more efficiently without overwhelming the body with more sugar than it can process. While this is especially important for people with diabetes who process sugars much slower than others, everyone can benefit from foods with low glycemic scores since they also reduce appetite and encourage the metabolism to burn body fat. Conversely, a diet of foods high on the glycemic charts has been proven to increase appetite and impede effective fat oxidation.
A QUICKIE GLYCEMIC PRIMER:
- The glycemic index of a food compares its effect on blood sugar level to that of pure glucose, which has a score of 100. White breads, which are made of processed white flour, are at the top of this scale, scoring a “perfect” 100 on the glycemic index. For perspective, a score of 55 or below denotes a low glycemic index food; 70 or above is considered very high. Serving size is not a consideration in arriving at a food’s Glycemic Index number.
- The glycemic load, on the other hand, focuses on how much digestible carbohydrates (sugars) a food contains in a typical single serving, which is defined as approximately 3.5 ounces. For glycemic load, a score of 20 or more is high, while 10 or less is low.
In honor of Cinco de Mayo celebrations, this recipe was inspired by this month’s Recipes from the Breakroom recipe for Jalapeño and Sausage Popper Eggrolls by associate James Lirette. So, here’s a low-carb Jalapeño Frittata that makes a very tasty breakfast or heated up for a quick lunch that keeps the chile pepper motif going!
Frittata comes from the Italian verb "friggere," meaning "to fry," and was originally used to describe any egg dish cooked in butter or oil in a pan. It is truly a practical and economical homemade dish, often used to repurpose leftovers, so it is not a common restaurant item in Italy. With endless possibilities for egg-based fillings that can include vegetables, herbs, cheese, meat, or seafood, Frittatas are sometimes referred to as "crustless quiche." Unlike omelets, frittata fillings are mixed into the egg mixture before cooking, and the dish is often baked in the oven or finished under a broiler.
Besides the jalapeños, for this “Cinco” dish, I chose a popular U.S. national brand of “Mexican four-cheese blend” instead of an individual authentic variety of queso (cheese) from Mexico that has a sodium content that can be heart-stopping! Heirloom cherry tomatoes are cooked into the mix, which really adds a zip of flavor, doing it the way the recipe is presented here. Two ways: Pour egg over tomatoes as this recipe demonstrates, or a few will rise to the top. If one wants to get fancy, a more formal presentation could be achieved by pulling the dish out of the oven when the eggs just start to firm up, then distribute the tomato slices evenly on top of the frittata. For the first batch, this writer did it that way, but the tomatoes came out “blackened”! I am sure it’s just a matter of timing, but with the price of eggs these days, I simply started with cherry tomatoes on the bottom, which solved the issue and produced a nice additional flavor laced throughout the finished frittata.
One of the simplest and quickest recipes to ring in (or out) your Cinco de Mayo celebrations that has few carbs per serving (2) and few calories (260). It’s not a day known for being very carb-counting friendly; maybe focus on this dish to start the day and then use James Lirette’s: Jalapeño & Sausage Popper Egg Rolls for the evening’s main course, along with maybe a few tequila shooters (also low carb) just to keep in the spirit of the day.
Jalapeño Popper Frittata
Serves 6
Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter, melted
10 Large eggs
2 tablespoons sour cream
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 oz. cream cheese
2 Jalapeno peppers, diced
½ cup green onion, diced
½ cup Mexican blend cheeses, fine grated
1 cup Heirloom Baby Cherry Tomatoes, sliced
Directions
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, salt and pepper. Then stir in the chunks of cream cheese, jalapeño peppers, green onion, cheese blend. In a round pie dish sprayed cooking oil place slices of cherry tomatoes cut side down.
Then gently pour in the egg mixture over the top of cherry tomatoes – do not stir. Some tomatoes will float to the top, this is fine.
Transfer the dish to a 425°F preheated oven to bake until eggs are just firm in the center—about 20 minutes. Watch closely. 
Remove frittata from the oven, cut into wedges and serve.
