Summer is one of my favorite times to shop at the farmers' market because there are so many colorful seasonal vegetables on sale. I am easily mesmerized by the beauty of the produce and I end up buying more food than I can handle within a week. In an effort to figure out how to eat all the vegetables before they go bad, I typically pack vegetables into as many meals as possible.
This summer veggie and egg bake is great for dinner because it is filled with vegetables and protein. I've added onions, bell peppers, zucchini and Swiss chard into the mix, but you can use whatever vegetables you like. I'm very conscious about food waste, and I try to eat all parts of a vegetable, if possible. That's why I always cook the Swiss chard stems. Because the stems take longer to soften, I usually separate the leaves from the stems and chop them separately. Then, I'll sauté the stems along with onions, pepper, carrots or any other vegetable with longer cooking times.
What we have here is truly a one-pan wonder. All you need to do is lightly sauté the vegetables in the pan, add the egg and cheese and finish everything in the oven. If you don't have a cast-iron or oven-safe pan, no worries. You can transfer everything from the pan into a regular casserole dish and bake. The cooking time should be roughly the same.
The great thing about this veggie and egg bake is that the leftovers make a great protein-packed breakfast, too! I love eating it with a side of toast.
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs
- ½ cup low-fat milk
- 2 ½ tablespoons olive oil
- ½ medium red onion diced (about 1 ¼ cups)
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 5 cups chopped Swiss chard about 4 cups leaves, 1 cup stems
- 1 cup diced red bell peppers
- 1 cup grated zucchini
- 1 ¼ teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Position an oven rack to the center position.
- Whisk the eggs and milk together in a small bowl and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large(12-inch) cast-iron skillet or oven-safe pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook for 2 minutes, until they start to soften. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Mix in the chopped Swiss chard stems and pepper, and sauté them for 2 minutes. Add the Swiss chard leaves and cook them until they start to wilt, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the grated zucchini, oregano, thyme and salt. Stir to combine.
- Turn off the heat. Pour the egg and milk mixture into the skillet. Sprinkle the cheese over the eggs and vegetables. Stir everything to make sure that the vegetables are evenly distributed. Bake the casserole for about 25 to 28 minutes, until the cheese starts to brown.
- Remove the casserole from the oven and allow it to cool for a few minutes before slicing it into wedges.
Sam Smith says
Nice combination lisa, will try this for my breakfast.