Healthier Brunch Options

[rjlebed]

I have six people coming for brunch next Sunday. Most of my brunch recipes are yummy but loaded with calories. Trying to figure out a menu that will taste yummy but also not throw everyone's diet resolutions out the window the day after New Years! Anyone have suggestions? Would love to avoid pork since my beloved son no longer eats it. Recipes or locations of recipes welcome. Thanks!!

[operagirl]

If anyone's in the mood for something sweet, my apple cinnamon breakfast strata is a healthier option than most breakfast-y baked goods -- it's basically a french toast casserole, without too much sugar and filled with sliced pippin apples. You could also use whole wheat bread to make it even more wholesome.

Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Strata

serves 6

8 eggs
2 C. 1% milk
1/3 C. organic cane sugar
1 Tbsp. vanilla
1 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 lb (half a 2 lb loaf) Acme Large Italian batard (or other good bread), sliced 1/4" thick, crosswise
3 medium Pippin apples, cored and sliced thinly

1. Butter a 9"x13" Pyrex baking pan.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon until thoroughly combined.

3. Layer half of the bread slices in the bottom of the baking pan.

4. Layer all of the apple slices on top of the bread. Top apple layer with the other half of the bread slices.

5. Pour the egg mixture over the layered bread and apples. Cover with saran wrap and refrigerate overnight.

6. Remove the saran wrap and cover strata with aluminum foil. Bake at 350F for 35 minutes, then remove foil and bake another 15 minutes.

Warm Cream Cheese Glaze

3 oz. cream cheese
2 Tbsp. agave syrup
2 Tbsp. 1% milk
1/4 tsp. vanilla

1. Put all the ingredients in a small, microwave-safe mixing bowl. Heat for 40 seconds.

2. Use an immersion blender or mini food processor to blend into a smooth glaze.

[rjlebed]

This looks yummy. I think that this, fruit salad, blintzes and a chicken salad with grapes will be the menu. Thanks everyone. If you have more thoughts please feel free!

[operagirl]

Great! Let us know how it all turns out!

I'd be remiss if I didn't point out one detail of the recipe -- leave the assembled casserole in the fridge OVERNIGHT to ensure that the bread soaks up all the eggy goodness before you bake it. Then in the morning, all that's left to do is pop the thing in the oven.

Have a fantastic brunch =)

[magiesmom]

Make a big winter fruit salad as the center and serve mini scones or muffins or wholegrain quickbreads.
this is a nice winter salad but the possibilities are endless.
or you can make baked eggs on a bed of spinach , very elegant.

[magiesmom]

oops, I forgot link:
http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/11/win...

[ipsedixit]

Just make what you normally make, but serve less of it.

[sushigirlie]

isn't that the truth

[Emme]

since hubby doesn't like quiche, i won't suggest my Broccoli Custard Pie, but it is healthful and yummy.

you could do a breakfast version of polenta lasagna -- make oatmeal (steel cut) ahead of time and spread in a large pan to cool. cut into squares, and create a layer at the bottom of a baking dish. layer with sliced fruits and repeat. OR mix low fat cream cheese with egg white, sweetener, vanilla, lemon zest; layer that in as well with the fruit. bake it off til golden and crispy. feel free to add a little brown sugar to the top at the end and broil til bubbly.

baked apples or pears - cored and stuffed with some oats, dried fruits, or sugar, etc. and covered with diet 7-up or low sugar apple juice to bake.

for a seemingly elegant treat, you could do "amuse shooters," parfaits in shot glasses.

breakfast quinoa with dried fruit and toasted nuts.

blintzes - go light on the fat, and use pureed low or fat free cottage cheese if the skim ricotta is too much

cauliflower hash browns - 3/4 cauliflower, 1/4 potato, onions, garlic etc

breakfast burritos - whole wheat tortillas, scrambled egg whites, salsa, veggies, diced chiles, low fat cheese, etc.

just a few thoughts... happy healthy NY!

[c oliver]

A huge platter of all sorts of fruits helps considerably. And it's pretty.

[rjlebed]

Thanks all! Blue Room, your suggestion reminded me of my time living on kibbutz! I will definitely make the Israeli salad! And, the spinach ricotta pie looks nice but it sounds a bit quiche-like and my husband is not a huge fan of quiche. On another thread (I mistakenly posted this twice) someone suggested an omelet bar. Since there are only six of us that might work as well. Thanks for the suggestions. Keep em coming!! :-)

[goodhealthgourmet]

what are the chances that you saw my numerous suggestions on that duplicate thread before the mods deleted it? do you need me to re-post?

edit: the mods were kind enough to send me a copy of my deleted post...

will it be buffet or sit-down? that will make a big difference in suggestions and in what will or won't work. also, are you thinking breakfast-y foods, or items geared more toward a lunch menu?

i personally prefer breakfast foods for brunch, so i'll keep my suggestions in that realm:
- egg white frittata or strata
- breakfast casserole
- homemade ricotta with fruit compote and/or baked fruit
- low fat quiche
- whole grain muffins or quick bread (pumpkin, banana nut, cranberry orange, lemon poppy...)
- homemade granola with Greek yogurt - you can even serve it as a parfait
- baked oatmeal/oatmeal pudding
- cereal bar - varieties of hot & cold cereals with different milks, fruits & nuts for topping
- buckwheat crepe bar with different fillings
- clafoutis
- low fat Dutch baby or German apple pancake
- smoked fish platter with whole grain breads, low fat cream cheese, etc.

[escondido123]

I'm the one that mentioned an omelet bar. The secret to making it easy was breaking and beating up enough eggs ahead of time...I think I did two per person. I then put the beaten eggs in a tea pot which gave me great control when pouring and kept the eggs protected. It was really a fun meal and I think I had a dozen people. I forgot to mention some fresh herbs finely chopped can be great, especially chives!

[blue room]

You couldn't go wrong with this--
http://www.israel-food-guide.com/israeli-breakfast-recipe.html

And I love these --
http://chocolateandzucchini.com/archi...

[Val]

How about a spinach ricotta pie...this is really nice...and if you add some roasted red bell pepper, even nicer, which I've done many times...lose the crust and you'd probably save some calories too:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...