Healthy Egg Bake
Look no further than my healthy egg bake for the perfect brunch for the family. This savory dish is packed with flavor; warmth from the nutmeg, zing from the dijon, and creaminess from the milk. One of the best parts of this recipe is you can make it your own, with whatever ingredients you have in the house!
During this time of self-quarantine, my healthy egg bake is a great recipe to turn to. Not only is it customizable, but it can stay in the freezer for about a month. This healthy egg bake is packed with nutrition and a great way to stretch our food supply when it may be difficult to make it to the grocery store. It uses both fresh and frozen produce, as well as pantry staples like spices, mustard and milk!
Brunch Is Served!
To make this delicious and healthy egg bake, first preheat the oven to 350 ℉ and spray a pie pan or cast iron skillet with non-stick spray. This is crucial so that the egg bake comes out in one piece. Next, prepare the frozen greens by squeezing out the excess liquid and placing it in the pie pan (Note: You can also use fresh greens here, just saute them until wilted).
In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and milk until the mixture is homogeneous. Then whisk in the mustard, thyme, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. From here, pour the egg mixture over the greens. Fianlly, top with some sharp cheddar cheese! Pop it in the oven for 45 minutes or until it is set. Let it cool for 5-10 minutes then flip it onto a plate. Brunch is served!
If you’re going to freeze the egg bake, let it cool fully, slice it into six pieces, as you would a pizza pie, and wrap the pieces individually in plastic wrap. Place them in the freezer and reheat when you’re ready!
Health Benefits of the Healthy Egg Bake
As a chef and registered dietitian, eggs are a staple in my diet. Don’t be afraid of the yolks, they contain a lot of nutrients beneficial to our diets!
So what are the health benefits?
Eggs are a source of protein containing 6 grams per one large egg!1 In addition, according to Egg Nutrition Center, eggs contain 13 essential vitamins and minerals.1 The protein portion of the egg are the egg whites, however, the egg yolks have vitamin D, choline, lutein and zeaxanthin.1
Vitamin D is an important nutrient necessary for maintaining bone health and aiding in our immune health.1,2 More research is currently being done to look at other benefits of vitamin D at this time. Choline is important for cognitive function, cell health, metabolism and the nervous system.3 It is especially important for pregnant mothers, as it is necessary for the “membrane biosynthesis and tissue expansion, neurotransmission and brain development, and methyl group donation and gene expression” of the fetus.1,4 Lastly, lutein and zeaxanthin are antioxidants that play a role in maintaining eye health, and possibly protecting against age-related diseases of the eye.5 Eggs are a great food to incorporate into your diet!
Similar Pages
For more recipes like my healthy egg bake, check out my Green Spinach Shakshuka, my Egg Bean Burrito and my Healthy Egg Salad with Avocado!
Resources
- Egg Benefits and Nutrients. Egg Nutrition Center. https://www.eggnutritioncenter.org/topics/nutrients-in-eggs/. Published February 5, 2020. Accessed March 22, 2020.
- Holick MF. Vitamin D and Bone Health. J Nutr. April 1996:1159S-1164S. doi:10.1093/jn/126.suppl_4.1159S.
- Eske J. What is choline? Benefits, deficiency, and sources. Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/327117#about. Published November 25, 2019. Accessed March 22, 2020.
- Korsmo HW, Jiang X, Caudill MA. Choline: Exploring the Growing Science on Its Benefits for Moms and Babies. Nutrients. 2019;11(8):1823. doi:10.3390/nu11081823.
- Mares J. Lutein and Zeaxanthin Isomers in Eye Health and Disease. Annual Review of Nutrition. 2016;36(1):571-602. doi:10.1146/annurev-nutr-071715-051110.
Ingredients
- 10 ounces frozen chopped spinach or kale thawed
- 12 large eggs beaten
- ¼ cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9-inch pie pan or cast iron skillet with oil spray.
- Squeeze excess moisture from spinach and place in prepared pie pan.
- In a bowl, whisk eggs and milk together. Add mustard, thyme, salt, pepper, and nutmeg and whisk well. Pour the egg mixture over the spinach. Top with cheddar.
- Carefully transfer to the oven and bake until the mixture is set in the center, approximately 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool 5 to 10 minutes. Cut into 6 wedges and serve.
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Two Healthy Diets — One Delicious Cookbook
I’ve combined DASH diet and Mediterranean diet recipes into something even better… Presenting The Mediterranean DASH Diet Cookbook.
