Southwestern Quinoa Egg Bake

{This recipe for Southwestern Quinoa Egg Bake is part of a Kraft FreshTake #shop hosted by the social shopper media company #CollectiveBias. This story and all opinions are my own. #FreshTake}

Southwestern Quinoa Egg Bake is made with a mix of vegetables, quinoa, three cheeses and seasoned bread crumbs. It takes minutes to prepare and then bakes into delicious brunch perfection!

With Easter Sunday only a few weeks away, I am working on planning our brunch menu. We always like to have something carrot cake-inspired (Carrot Cake pancakes are definitely a favorite!) We also enjoy having a savory egg bake, packed with lots vegetables and cheese. This year, I wanted to give our egg bake a southwestern twist. Then I discovered that Kraft Fresh Take has a new Southwestern Three Cheese flavor. The savory blend of garlic, cumin and red chili pepper bread crumbs along with the Colby, mozzarella and cheddar cheese sounded just perfect for this Southwestern Quinoa Egg Bake!

This dish is very easy to make and takes just minutes to prepare. Simply saute the onion, pepper, garlic and chili powder. Then mix together a blend of egg whites, eggs, milk and rinsed (but uncooked) quinoa. Stir in the vegetables, pour in a baking dish, cover and bake. Once the eggs have set, sprinkle with the cheese and bread crumb mixture, and then bake again until the cheese is all bubbly and golden. The quinoa settles at the bottom to form a thin ‘crust’, the top is cheesy, the bread crumbs get crunchy, and all through the middle is a nutritious blend of eggs and vegetables. The result is an impressive, wholesome Southwestern Quinoa Egg Bake that is sure to make a wonderful addition to your brunch menu.

Southwestern Quinoa Egg Bake

Yields: 6 servings

Ingredients

1 yellow onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon chili powder (adjust to taste)
8 egg whites
4 eggs
1¼ cups skim milk
½ cup quinoa, rinsed
1 package (10 ounces) frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 package Kraft Fresh Take Southwestern Three Cheese, combined

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high and add onion and bell pepper. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until softened. Add garlic and chili powder, and cook for an additional minute. Remove from heat.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together eggs, egg whites, milk and quinoa. Stir in spinach, onion and pepper.
Pour egg mixture into prepared baking dish. Cover with foil and cook for 50 to 55 minutes, or until set. Remove foil and sprinkle tops with Kraft Fresh Take cheese and breadcrumb mixture. Put back in the oven to cook for 10 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and top begins to brown.

Notes

You can substitute 1 egg per 2 egg whites (or 2 eggs whites per 1 egg) in this recipes, as desired.

Incidentally, if Southwestern flavor does not go with your theme, there are two other new varieties that would be a delicious substitution: Italian Parmesan and Cheddar Jack with Bacon. I found them all in the dairy aisle, near the cheeses at my local Walmart. Click here for a coupon for $1 off the purchase of fresh chicken and Kraft Fresh Take at Walmart (available during the month of April, while supplies last)