Sweet Potato Strata

Happy New Year! As we all settle into the reality of our New Year's resolutions being harder than we anticipated, and wishing it were easier...why not figure out how to make delicious food better for you throughout the year! Fad diets serve a purpose if "weight loss" is one of your 2017 Goals, but they are short-term, and rarely, sustainable--simply because "going to extremes" for long periods of time is the exception rather than the norm when it comes to human beings and their food palate.

Rather than eliminating everything you love, find ways to tweak the recipe to improve nutritional content without sacrificing flavors;and, without losing the pure joy of eating good food. Why not start with this delicious base recipe from Cooking Light--packed full of sweet potatoes, onions, chicken sausage and reduced on the heavy cream and cheese content!

Want to mix up the ingredients--go for it! I used extra sweet potato and added a medium onion to the sausage mix. So, if "trying something new" is one of your New Year's Resolutions...here's a great way to start! 

Sweet Potato Strata

(Adapted from Cooking Light Kid's Cook section)

Equipment:

8"x8" Pyrex Baking Dish

Large Mixing Bowl

Ingredients:

6 slices of Italian Bread, toasted slightly and torn into 1" chunks
1 (8oz)++ sweet potato, microwaved until 'almost done', peeled and cubed 
1 1/2 tsp olive oil
6 oz of bulk chicken sausage or chicken sausage breakfast links, sliced
3/4 cup of Monterrey Jack Cheese, grated and divided
1 3/4 cup of 2% milk
1/4 cup half-and-half
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
5 eggs, slightly beaten
Cooking spray
Maple syrup

Instructions:

1. Wash your hands.

2. Preheat oven 350F degrees.

3. Prep bread and microwave sweet potatoes.

4. Saute sausage and onions. 

5. Combine bread, potatoes and 1/2 of cheese sausage and onions in large mixing bowl.

6. Add slightly beaten eggs, milk, cream and spices mixture to the mixing bowl, and then add to your prepared 8" x 8" baking dish.

7. Let soak x 20 minutes. 

8. Top with remaining cheese, sausage and onions, and cover with lightly sprayed foil.

9. Bake at 350F degrees x 25-30 minutes, then bake another 20 minutes without foil. 

10. Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving...then, drizzle with maple syrup, if you are so inclined, and enjoy!

Invite some starving friends over for a late Sunday brunch! Add some fresh fruit and coffee...and, there will be a new place to meet for the weekend!

(Serves: 6 / Serving Size: 1/6th with 2 tsp of syrup / Calories: 336 / Fat 12.8g (5g Sat) / Protein: 18g / Carb: 36 g / Fiber 2 g / Sodium 574 mg)

Tips:

• No Money:
• don't use meat at all--this will reduce fat, calories, salt and money!
• save any stale bread you have in the freezer for when you are making stuffing or strata 
• No Waste:
• sweet potatoes store easily and for a long period 
• great way to save stale last pieces of loaf of bread that no one wants to eat
• No Equipment:
• Large Bowl
• Baking dish
• Skillet
• Large Toaster Oven / Regular oven
• No Skills:
• review some of my early blogs--How To Saute Mushrooms (can use for onions as well)
• can you toast bread?
• can you stir stuff around a bowl?
• if not, you will need to learn some basic skills to make this simple recipe
• No Health
• add more sweet potato
• cut the meat for reduced fat, sodium and calories
• original recipe does not add salt
• original recipe only uses 2% milk--try it without the cream 
• No Time:
• some prep work needed, but easy
• approx 35 minute
• 6 nice servings