You don’t have to be a skilled chef to impress mom on Mother’s Day with a special brunch. If you can use a knife and make a boxed cake, you can pull off this dish. This easy and healthy egg strata both sounds impressive and looks beautiful on the table.
This strata is different from quiche and frittata because the bread base is soaked overnight in an herbed egg mixture before it’s cooked the following day. This recipe is full of savory herbs like thyme and nutmeg, and it’s packed with kale, mushrooms, and red bell pepper.
INGREDIENTS
Makes 8 servings
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup diced red onion
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup diced red bell pepper
1 large bunch kale, washed, de-stemmed and torn into pieces (about 3 cups)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt plus 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
8 cups 1-inch cubes of bakery-style whole grain bread (about 1 large loaf)
6 ounces sharp cheddar, grated (about 1 1/2 cups), divided
3 cups skim milk
6 large eggs
DIRECTIONS
1. Coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
2. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat; add onions, mushrooms and red peppers and cook, stirring often, until soft, about five minutes. Add kale and cook until wilted, about five minutes longer. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about one minute. Stir in thyme, 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, and nutmeg; remove from heat and set aside.
3. Place half of bread cubes in even layer in baking dish, then top with half of the vegetable mixture and half of the cheese. Add the remaining bread cubes, then remaining vegetables and cheese.
4. In large bowl, whisk together milk, eggs and remaining 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture evenly over bread, vegetables and cheese in baking dish. Cover with foil and press down slightly to help egg mixture soak into bread. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
5. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F. Bake uncovered for 45 to 60 minutes or until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Rebecca Scritchfield is a registered dietitian/nutritionist and founder of Capitol Nutrition Group in Washington, DC.
