Broccoli and Cheese Strata

Do not use regular whole-wheat sandwich bread in this recipe or the strata will lack flavor and be mushy. You may substitute a whole-wheat French baguette with the crust removed for the whole-grain artisan bread.

Serves: 6Hands-on: 15 minutesTotal: 2 hours 15 minutesDifficulty: Easy

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Serves: 6

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 3 large shallots, minced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 10 oz. frozen broccoli, thawed and chopped
  • 6 large egg whites
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • 3⁄4 cup fat-free milk
  • 1⁄4 tsp. salt
  • 1⁄4 tsp. pepper
  • 4 cups lightly toasted whole-grain artisan bread, cubed
  • 1⁄2 cup reduced-fat shredded Cheddar cheese
  • 1⁄4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

  • Spray a medium baking dish with nonstick spray. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and sauté the shallot until it is translucent and softened, 7 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until it just starts to turn golden, about 1 minute.
  • Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the broccoli. Allow the mixture to cool completely before proceeding with the next step.
  • Whisk together the egg whites, egg yolks, milk, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Stir in the bread cubes, Cheddar and Parmesan cheeses, and cooled broccoli. Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish and cover tightly with plastic wrap.
  • Place a heavy weight on top of the strata so that the custard mixture can soak into the bread. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  • When ready to bake the strata, preheat the oven to 325°F. Place the strata on the middle rack and bake until the center is set and cooked through, about 1 hour.