Cook Up a Healthy Easter Brunch

Cook Up a Healthy Easter Brunch!

Yep, another holiday is on its way and here comes the Easter Bunny!  Which bunny is visiting your house – the healthy-minded bunny or the bunny bearing plenty of high calorie goodies to tempt you?  Your Easter celebration doesn’t have to be filled with high calorie pies, quiches and candy.  It’s possible to keep the tradition but modify your favorite dishes so that they are lower in fat and calories.  Below is a healthy Easter brunch the whole family will enjoy (and probably impressed too!).

Orange-Date French Toast  

• Swiss & Mushroom Quiche
• Grapefruit Segments with Raspberry Sauce
• Orange-Date French Toast:
• ½ cup walnuts
• ½ cup date pieces
• 2 cups water
• ½ cup orange juice concentrate
• ¾ cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 20 slices whole wheat or whole grain bread

1. Place walnuts through cinnamon in a blender and process for about 2 minutes or until smooth.
2. Pour mixture into a bowl and dip bread one at a time.  Make sure bread is not dripping with batter.
3. Place bread on a non-stick hot skillet and lightly brown on both sides.
4. Serve with low-calorie syrup or vanilla yogurt.

Servings: 20 (1 serving = 1 slice)

Nutrition Information: 140 calories, 5 g protein, 25 g carbs, 3.5 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 91 mg sodium, 5 g fiber

Swiss & Mushroom Quiche

• 1 tsp butter
• 1 ½ cup chopped red onion
• ¼ pound mushrooms, sliced
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
•  1/8 tsp dried thyme
• ½ tsp dry mustard
• 1 cup egg substitute
• 1 ½ cup 1% milk
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 cup shredded low-fat Swiss cheese
• ¼ cup minced red bell pepper or tomato

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Melt the butter in a small skillet.  Add onions and sauté over medium heat for a few minutes or until softened.  Add mushrooms, salt, pepper, thyme, red pepper and mustard.  Saute about 5 minutes and remove from heat.
3. Combine egg substitute, milk and flour in a blender or food processor and beat well.
4. Spray a pie pan with cooking spray.  Spread cheese over the bottom of the pie pan and spread the onion-mushroom mixture on top.  Pour in the egg mixture.  Sprinkle with red bell pepper or tomato.
5. Bake 35-45 minutes or until solid in the center. 

Servings: 8
Nutrition Information: 87 calories, 9 g protein, 8 g carbs, 2 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 287 mg sodium, 1 g fiber

Grapefruit Segments with Ginger-Raspberry Sauce

• 3 cups raspberries
• Juice of one lime
• 1/8 tsp ground ginger (or more to taste)
• Sugar or Splenda to taste
• Grapefruit segments

Combine ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour ¼ cup sauce over ½ cup grapefruit sections.  Serve in martini glasses for an elegant touch!
 

Servings Size: ¼ cup sauce over ½ cup grapefruit segments
Nutrition Information: 62 calories, 1 g protein, 15 g carbs, 0 g fat, 0 mg sodium, 4 g fiber

For additional Easter brunch ideas:

www.cookinglight.com

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/collections/easter_celebration.html 

Please note: The information in this article is not to be followed as
medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with your physician
or primary health practitioner for information regarding your own personal
health and necessary treatments.