Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. In fact, many research studies have shown that people who eat breakfast each morning tend to be leaner and consume less calories overall throughout the day. One of my favorite things to do is to make breakfast for dinner. It's a fun way to switch things up and can be a quick and easy meatless meal.
Tonight, try this recipe for Brie and Egg Strata
- The night before, assemble and layer the casserole without the egg mixture (steps one and two); cover and refrigerate. Combine the egg mixture (step three), and refrigerate in a separate container. In the morning, pour the egg mixture over the bread mixture; allow the strata to stand for 30 minutes before baking. Substitute a French baguette or sourdough loaf for the flat Italian bread, ciabatta, if desired. Freeze the Brie for about 15 minutes to make chopping easier.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 cups chopped onion
- 1 1/2 cups diced unpeeled Yukon gold potato (1 large)
- 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
- 1 cup halved grape tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- 3/4 pound ciabatta, cut into 1-inch cubes, toasted
- Cooking spray
- 4 ounces Brie cheese, rind removed and chopped
- 1 cup egg substitute
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 cups 1% low-fat milk
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Preparation
- Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, potato, and bell pepper; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Stir in tomatoes; sauté 2 minutes. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt. Combine onion mixture and bread.
- Place half of bread mixture into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with half of Brie. Top with remaining bread mixture and remaining Brie.
- Place egg substitute and eggs in a medium bowl. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, herbes de Provence, and pepper. Add milk, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Pour egg mixture over bread mixture. Let stand 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Bake at 350° for 50 minutes or until set. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately.
Nutritional Information
Amount per serving: 12
- Calories: 205 Fat: 6.9g Protein: 10.8g Carbohydrate: 26.1g Fiber: 1.7g
*Recipe taken from Cooking Light, November 2006
Best Bet for Breakfast:
Eggs or Egg Whites?
Eggs are one of the best sources of protein as they contain 18 of the 20 essential amino acids. In fact, when rating the biological value of protein from 0-100, eggs score 100! Unfortunately, over the past years eggs have gotten a bad rep. You've probably heard that eggs are high in cholesterol, and that it is best to avoid them to keep you cholesterol in check. Egg whites, on the other hand, are a higher source of protein by weight, contain less calories and no cholesterol.
But while it may seem like egg whites are the healthier choice, especially if you are watching your cholesterol or your weight, you are missing essential nutrients by throwing out the yolk.
- Egg yolks are an excellent source of choline
- Choline plays a crucial role in brain functioning & is important in relaying messages through nerves to the muscles (1)
- Luetin & zeaxanthin- 2 key antioxidants for eye health are found in the yolk
- Whole eggs are one of the very few dietary sources of Vitamin D
- Studies estimate that at least 36% of the population has inadeqaute Vitamin D stores (2)
- Egg yolks contain essential fatty acids DHA and Arachidonic Acid
What about cholesterol ?
Let's first distinguish that there's a difference between blood cholesterol and dietary cholesterol - the cholesterol we consume through food. For most people, dietary cholesterol has very little effect on overall blood cholesterol . Only about 25% of the population is sensitive to the effect of dietary cholesterol. The most recent research concludes that consumption of eggs in healthy populations show no risk for developing heart disease by increasing cholesterol and that inclusion of eggs into a normal diet may be beneficial for overall health (3).
Also, the United States Department of Agriculture states the eggs now contain less cholesterol. The average amount of cholesterol in one large egg is 185 mg, a 14% decrease than previously recorded. Also, they state that eggs higher in vitamin D, now containing 41 IU, an increase of 64% (4).
- So when it comes to choosing what to eat for breakfast, consider what is mentioned above. Most people are fine to eat one egg a day. Adding egg whites to an omelet is a great way to save on calories, but be sure to get at least one whole egg to get optimal nutrition- 1 egg plus 2 egg whites makes a good size omelet for one person. Toss in some extra vegetables for added antioxidants!
Here is a side by side comparison of a whole egg verses and egg white:
1) Moeller SM, et al. 2000. The Potential Role of Dietary Xanthophylls in Cataract and Age-Related Macular Degeneration. J Am Coll Nutr. 19(5):522S-527S.
2) Holik, M. (2006). High prevalence of vitamin d inadequacy and implications for health. Mayo Clin Proc. 81(3), 353-373.
3) Fernansez, M. (2010). Effects of eggs on plasma lipoproteins in healhty population. Food and Function, 1(2), 156-160.
