Recipe of the Week: Spinach and Broccoli Strata

Did you know that broccoli is at its best from late summer to early winter? It’s great raw, steamed, roasted, or even baked into frittatas and other savory dishes. Researchers have found that it has a positive impact on the body’s detoxification system, thanks to some of its phytonutrients and its high combination of vitamin K and vitamin A helps keep your body in balance when it comes to metabolizing vitamin D.

You can prepare this Spinach and Broccoli Strata the night before and let it rest in the fridge. Then, all you need to do in the morning is pop it in the oven to bake (this may increase the baking time). This recipe makes a large portion (serves eight), so feel free to refrigerate any extras to enjoy the next day.

Total Time: 1 hr. 7 min.
Prep Time: 15 min.
Cooking Time: 53 min.
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:
Hot water
4 cups broccoli florets
4 tsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
8 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups reduced-fat (2%) milk
2 cups raw spinach, chopped
½ tsp. sea salt (or Himalayan salt) HERE is what I use
½ tsp. ground black pepper
Nonstick cooking spray
8 slices low-sodium sprouted whole grain bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
¼ cup crumbled feta cheese (about 1½ oz.)

Preparation:
1. Boil water in steamer or large saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-high. Place broccoli in steamer basket; cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until tender-crisp and bright green. Place in ice water bath to stop cooking process. Drain and coarsely chop. Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350º F.
3. Heat oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat.
4. Add onion; cook, stirring frequently, for 4 to 6 minutes, or until onion is translucent.
5. Add garlic; cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Set aside.
6. Combine eggs, milk, spinach, salt, pepper, broccoli, and onion mixture in a large bowl; mix well.
7. Place bread and cheese in 3-quart baking dish that has been lightly coated with spray.
8. Top with egg mixture. Press down gently so that bread absorbs egg mixture. Cover with aluminum foil.
9. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil; bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until strata has puffed up, is cooked through, and is lightly browned on top.

Tip: Strata can be covered and refrigerated overnight before baking. (This may increase baking time.) This works well if you are serving it for brunch.

Recipe from teambeachbody.com