It’s an unfortunate fact that most of my favorite breakfast foods are loaded with fat, sodium, and sugar – pancakes, waffles, casseroles, Eggs Benedict, etc. It’s a tough fact of life that these are so delicious, yet competely unhealthy. You may be thinking, “Oh, well try multigrain pancakes!” or “How about the soy-based sausage?” I’m a realist; there’s just simply no comparison. So what’s a breakfast-craving, trying-to-eat-healthier woman to do?
Enter the Quinoa Egg Bake. It’s an easy, nutritious casserole, but excludes a lot of the fatty ingredients that make the dish delicious unhealthy. However, it’s full of flavor, thanks to garlic, fresh thyme, parmesan, and spinach.
Spinach is loaded with fiber, vitamins A & C, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin K, and folates. It’s one of our top vegetable picks for everything from dips, omelettes, soups, and salads.
If you’ve never had quinoa, it’s a plant-based complete protein that contains all of the eight essential amino acids, and it’s touted as a “superfood” because of its remarkable ratio of fats, carbohydrates, and protein. Often we eat it in place of rice or another starch as an accompaniment to our main course. Providing a blank canvas for a plethora of salads, side dishes, and casseroles, quinoa is extremely versatile and delicious.
This recipe can be prepared in just minutes and would be a fantastic addition to a breakfast or brunch spread alongside some fresh fruit. Tonight we had breakfast for dinner; I served it with some multigrain bread that we slathered with my homemade orange marmalde. The original recipe says it serves six, but realistically, it serves four.
Quinoa Egg Bake
(from FitSugar)
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon butter or butter substitute
1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
8 eggs
1 1/4 cup nonfat milk
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon chopped thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cups packed baby spinach, roughly chopped
1 cup finely shredded Romano or Parmesan cheese
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch x 8-inch glass or metal baking dish with butter; set aside.
- Put quinoa into a fine mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water until water runs clear; drain well.
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, garlic, thyme, salt, pepper, and quinoa. Stir in spinach, then pour mixture into prepared dish.
- Cover tightly with foil then jiggle dish gently from side to side so that quinoa settles on the bottom in an even layer. Bake until just set, about 45 minutes.
- Remove foil and sprinkle top evenly with cheese. Return to oven and bake, uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes more.
- Set aside to let cool briefly, then slice and serve.
Rants, Raves, and Rations 