A Brunch Basic

Brunch has become a new tradition. There is something comforting about having the ability to sleep in on a weekend and enjoy a midday meal that is part breakfast food and part savory items to round out a weekend. Now, the definition of brunch is changing. It is not just for weekends anymore!  People are “brunching” during the week or using it as an excuse to eat breakfast foods at lunch. Regardless of how you define it, brunch is here to stay, and I’m not complaining!

Brunch foods are the best way to use up leftovers or extra ingredients you may have in your cabinets or refrigerator. It’s also a chance to create a dish that will also serve as leftovers another day or evening in the week. Brunch food is not just for breakfast; brunch meals easily transform into lunch or dinner.  

My spinach and egg casserole covers all the necessary bases:

• It can be a breakfast dish or a dinner.
• It’s packed with vegetables, so it is rich in fiber. 
• It’s not sweet, but can be made more savory by adding additional seasonings like garlic or cumin depending on how you like your vegetables.

Even better, it can be made ahead of time and reheated when its brunch time or divided into portions and reheated individually.  Prep time is quick, and you can customize this anyway you wish by adding different vegetables, bacon, leftover chicken, cheeses, or herbs. With this casserole, like brunch, the possibilities are infinite!

Spinach & Egg Casserole

• 2 to 3 cups of spinach (1 package of fresh or 2 boxes of frozen spinach thawed and squeezed dry)
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• ½ chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped tomato (seeds and pulp removed)
• 1 ¼ cup shredded cheddar (mild or sharp)
• 2 whole eggs
• 2 egg whites
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Optional: 3 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with vegetable spray or brush with olive oil.
2. In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, heat olive oil. Add in mushrooms and onion and sautee 6 to 8 minutes or until onions are translucent and mushrooms are soft. Add in diced tomatoes and cook an additional 1 minute.
3. Place half the sautéed vegetables in the bottom of the baking dish. Add half the spinach on top of vegetables. Alternate layers of vegetables and spinach.
4. Whisk eggs and egg whites until fluffy. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over the vegetable and spinach mixture.
5. If using, sprinkle bacon across the top.
6. Sprinkle cheese over the top and bake uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool and set, 15-20 minutes.
7. Cut and serve in squares.