I’ve come across several ‘strata’ recipes lately and wanted to try to convert them to a Maximized Living Nutrition Plans recipe. The cook’s definition for aStrata is : a bread pudding-like layered comfort food casserole made with eggs, cheese and stale cubed bread (or sometimes hash browns). Since regular cubed bread and/or hash browns were out, I decided to substitute Ezekiel bread which would be acceptable on the Core Plan. Certainly, you could leave the bread out all together for the Advanced Plan- it would turn out more like a crustless quiche.
The other nice thing about this strata is that you can use any combination of vegetables and cheeses you have on hand. Don’t be afraid to experiment with flavors. You can even assemble it the night before and cook it the next day. This also stores well and can be eaten cold in a lunchbox or on the go. It is a recipe that you can use for breakfast, lunch, or dinner and is very flexible. Just use what you have on hand or what is in season.
Veggie Strata
1 tablespoon coconut or grapeseed oil
1/2 chopped or grated onion
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme (or whatever other spice you like)
2 cloves garlic, chopped or pressed
Approx. 1 cup of any of the following: organic grated zucchini, chopped asparagus, chopped baby bella mushrooms, spinach, artichoke hearts
Approx 1/2 cup – 3/4 cup any of the following cheeses: raw cheddar, goat cheese, fontina, parmesan, etc.
1/2 teaspoon sea salt (divided)
8 organic, cage free eggs
1 cup almond milk, raw milk, goat milk
2 tablespoons organic dijon mustard
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (or 1 tablespoon dried parsley)
Black pepper to taste
3 slices Ezekiel (or any sprouted whole wheat bread), crusts removed and cut into cubes – LEAVE THIS OUT FOR ADVANCED PLAN!
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, thyme, and garlic and cook until soft. Add in the vegetables and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and cook until cooked but still crisp. Set aside.
Whisk together eggs, milk, mustard, parsley, pepper and remaining 1/4 tsp sea salt.
Butter a 9×13 baking dish and place the bread across the bottom. Spread veggie mixture over the bread then sprinkle with 1/2 of the cheese. Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables and top with remaining cheese. Let stand for about 10-15 minutes to let the bread soak up some of the liquid.
Bake in a 375º oven for about 30 minutes or until firm in the center and browned on top.
Let stand for about 10 minutes before cutting into squares and serving.
