MUSHROOM, LEEK + GRUYERE STRATA

While more rich than our everyday fare, this year needs a Christmas breakfast to top all Christmas breakfasts. We will be making the cinnamon rolls from our Sprouted Kitchen Holidays ebook (gifting half because what better door drop is there). We have made cinnamon rolls the tradition, but everyone is ready for something more substantial after presents. So we’re trying this this year - a bread pudding meets frittata and can be tinkered with all sorts of ways to taste. 

I’ve now made a mediterranean version with artichokes and sun-dried tomatoes and feta, or a roasted squash and kale take that I made in smaller little ramekins so it felt like a special dinner. If you’re feeding kids? Try getting the vegetables smaller, so they are harder to pick out and the texture sort of blends in.

Emmi Gruyere is a great option here because it has a nutty, assertive flavor and also a melty quality to it. Goes so well with mushrooms and the bread makes this a one-dish wonder. We’ve been adding the cheese to the kids grilled cheese sandwiches and into mashed potatoes. Check the store locator for where to find it near you.

Thank you for supporting sponsored work on the blog! This post is in partnership with Emmi Roth Cheese, though all words and opinions are my own.

Mushroom, Leek and Gruyere Strata

Serves 6

This can take so many different combinations! I left it vegetarian, but some browned breakfast sausage or crispy bacon can be stirred in as well with no other changes should you like. 

Everything can be assembled the night before and left covered in the fridge overnight. Pull it out first thing in the morning while the oven is preheating and you can enjoy your family instead of working in the kitchen Christmas morning.

Gluten Free? We have made this successfully with gluten-free sandwich bread! 

Ingredients

8 oz. fresh bread, cubed (country loaf, French, ciabatta)

1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. butter
8 oz. mixed mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
2 small/1 large leek, white and light green parts, cleaned and sliced
4 oz. baby spinach

8 eggs
1 ½ cup whole milk
½ cup cream
½ tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. Fresh ground pepper
½ tsp. Dried oregano
1 Tbsp. hot sauce
1 heaping cup/6 oz. grated Emmi Gruyere, shredded

Fresh parsley, for garnish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375’. Spread the cubed bread on a baking dish and toast for 10 minutes until golden on the edges and dried out. 

Heat the oil and butter in a large, oven-proof skillet or cast iron pan (about 12”). Add the mushrooms and leeks, a big pinch of salt and pepper and sauté to soften. About 8 minutes. Stir in the baby spinach, turn off the heat, and let it just wilt and cool down. Stir in the toasted bread.

While the vegetables cool down, whisk up your egg mixture. In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, milk, cream, salt, pepper, dried oregano, hot sauce and whisk really well to combine. We want to get some air in there. Stir in the gruyere. Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables, pressing the bread pieces down a bit so they get the custard on all parts. Leave it to soak at room temperature for an hour, or covered, overnight in the refrigerator. 

Turn the oven down to 350’. Bake on the middle rack for 30 minutes, or until you shake the pan and the center is no longer liquid. A little jiggle is ok, it will set as it cools down. 

Garnish the top with fresh parsley and serve warm.

Sara Forte 2020-12-22

Mushroom, Leek & Gruyere Strata

6

A bread-pudding–meets–frittata breakfast.

• 8 oz. fresh bread
• 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. butter
• 8 oz. mixed mushrooms
• 1 leek
• 4 oz. baby spinach
• 8 eggs
• 1 ½ cup whole milk
• ½ cup cream
• ½ tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. Fresh ground pepper
• ½ tsp. Dried oregano
• 1 Tbsp. hot sauce
• 1 cup shredded Gruyere

423 calories26 grams fat27 grams carbohydrate21 grams protein

Preheat the oven to 375’. Spread the cubed bread on a baking dish and toast for 10 minutes until golden on the edges and dried out.

Heat the oil and butter in a large, oven-proof skillet or cast iron pan (about 12”). Add the mushrooms and leeks, a big pinch of salt and pepper and saute to soften. About 8 minutes. Stir in the baby spinach, turn off the heat, and let it just wilt and cool down. Stir in the toasted bread.

While the vegetables cool down, whisk up your egg mixture. In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, milk, cream, salt, pepper, dried oregano, hot sauce and whisk really well to combine. We want to get some air in there. Stir in the gruyere. Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables, pressing the bread pieces down a bit so they get the custard on all parts. Leave it to soak at room temperature for an hour, or covered, overnight in the refrigerator.

Turn the oven down to 350’. Bake on the middle rack for 30 minutes, or until you shake the pan and the center is no longer liquid. A little jiggle is ok, it will set as it cools down.

Garnish the top with fresh parsley and serve warm.

     

American

Breakfast

Holiday, brunch, breakfast

SWEET POTATO CINNAMON ROLLS

We made another ebook! Sprouted Kitchen Holidays is a collection of a handful of my favorite recipes from SK Cooking Club, plus a few more, and we made a beautiful online resource for your seasonal table. There are 25 recipes that feel good for celebrating, regardless that this year will be different than any other. Check the link to the shop page for more details and reach out if there are any questions!

I am including the recipe for our family tradition of Christmas morning cinnamon rolls here. They have a little bit of baked sweet potato in them to keep them tender, but are by all means decadent. You can start these the day before, and let them sit in the fridge overnight, and the early bird pulls them out while the oven preheats Christmas morning. I’ve also heard they freeze well! Once you cut and load them in your baking dish, cover them with a layer of parchment paper and freeze. The evening before, leave them on the counter at room temperature to thaw and proof, before baking the following morning. We have a post coming up next week for the savory crowd, albeit just as creamy and delicious, before we all take a sharp turn into kale and salads come January.

The ebook is available in the shop, and should you need a virtual gift, or want to sync up your menu with someone you cannot be with the holiday, there is a gift option as well.

Thank you for your support of all things Sprouted Kitchen, and wishing you wellness into the new year.

Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls

Serves 8-10

I can often makes swaps for gluten-free baked goods, but not here. I don’t know the science of gluten and yeast. The dairy however, can be replaced with a vegan butter and non-dairy milk of choice. If the sweet potato step here sounds fussy, 1/4 cup canned pumpkin puree will do the trick.

Heads up! Start these the day before you need to bake them!

Ingredients

For the dough

1 cup of warm milk (no warmer than 110°)
2 1/2 tsp. of active dry yeast
2 eggs
1/3 cup of unsalted butter - melted
1/3 cup of cooked sweet potatoes flesh
1/2 tsp. of sea salt
1/3 cup of cane sugar
4 1/2 cups of all purpose flour, divided

For the filling

1 cup of light brown sugar
2 Tbsp. of cinnamon
1/3 cup of unsalted butter - room temp
1/2 cup of chopped pecans - optional

For the frosting

4 oz. of cream cheese
3 Tbsp. of unsalted butter
1/4 cup of maple syrup
3/4 cup of powdered sugar
1 tsp. of vanilla extract
pinch of sea salt

Directions

Warm the milk (not super hot, just above body temp.). Stir in the yeast and let it sit for a few minutes to dissolve.

Into a stand mixer with knead attachment, add the milk mixture, eggs, incorporate them in well. Stir in the butter, potato flesh, salt and sugar to combine. Add 4 1/4 cups of the flour, 1 cup at a time, reserve the last 1/4 cup for rolling them out. Work everything together to combine for a minute, then dump the dough on a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough by pushing it with the heels of your hands and pulling it back to you on repeat for about 5 minutes. Roll it into a smooth little dough baby, cover it with a dish towel or plastic wrap and let it rise until it doubles in size. This time of year, since it’s a little chillier, this will take no less than an hour, likely two. Go do something else and just leave it alone.

While you’re waiting, stir the brown sugar, cinnamon and butter together. It should look like a thick paste. Roll the dough out into a 1/4” thick rectangle, about 14” in length. No need to bust out a ruler, just guess. Spread the brown sugar butter mixture all across the top. Sprinkle pecan or walnut pieces in there if you like nuts. Starting with the long side, roll the dough down into a log. Cut the log into roughly 3” thick pieces (you can make them smaller or larger to your preference). Arrange them with an inch of space between in one or two greased baking dishes. I don’t need 14 rolls for just my family, so I bake half in a 10” cast iron skillet and put the rest in a second baking dish to gift). (This much can be done a day in advance and leave them covered in the fridge. Whomever wakes up first in the morning, should pull them from the fridge so they can rest and rise for at least one hour before baking. You can also freeze them, and pull them out to the counter when you go to bed the evening prior to wanting to bake them) Cover the rolls loosely with a dish towel and let them rise another hour.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Bake the rolls on the middle rack for 20 minutes. While the rolls bake, whip up your frosting. In a stand mixer or with an electric mixer (or by hand with your strong muscles), mix the cream cheese and butter together until well combined and smooth (about 5 minutes in a stand mixer). Add the maple, powdered sugar, vanilla and pinch of salt and mix again. While the rolls are still warm but not piping hot, spread the frosting across the top and let it drip into the crannies. Enjoy warm!

---

Sara Forte 2020-12-15

Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls

10

Tender cinnamon rolls made with sweet potato.

• 1 cup of milk
• 2 1/2 tsp. of active dry yeast
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup of unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup of cooked sweet potatoes
• 1/2 tsp. of sea salt
• 1/3 cup of cane sugar
• 4 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
• 1 cup of light brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp. of cinnamon
• 1/3 cup of unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup of chopped pecans
• 4 oz. of cream cheese
• 3 Tbsp. of unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup of maple syrup
• 3/4 cup of powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. of vanilla extract

596 calories26 grams fat83 grams carbohydrate10 grams protein

PT2H

PT20M

PT2H20M

American

Breakfast

breakfast, dessert, holiday

VEGGIE CHILI

The internet is a hottttt place right now, so I’ll just pretend we’re catching up on the porch, sharing a glass of wine and updating you on the bits and bobs of our little life. Like a Christmas letter in October?
Curran is back at school and albeit strange and distanced, he’s so happy. He loves wearing his face shield with the mask as well so he looks extra cautious and also like a stormtrooper and I just love how he marches to his own drum. He’s been in skateboard class, still obsessed with the ocean and his Dad and food in general. Cleo has been tough lately. Lots of big feelings and big reactions and if I don’t get some break from her drama before she is a teenager? Lord help us. She learned the word “shit” from The Chicks new album, which she requests every time we get in the car. I told her it was a really bad word for poop which unfortunately makes it more intriguing for that 4-6 age range. My bad. When she is happy, she has tons of personality, affectionate, a great sense of humor and pays attention to detail and is therefore quite thoughtful. She LOVES Curran, and that bond may be my favorite thing about being a parent.

Work is steady-ish. A few speed bumps (actually a really big one) which I’ll tell you more about when I know more. I’m pretty creatively toasted, but I feel grateful to have a job and the schedule we do in the current state of things. We’re trying to turn over a holiday ebook in a few weeks so if we can pull it off, that will be exciting. I love love my new nephew! New babies are so clean and cuddly and seeing my sister and brother-in-law adjust into parenting is both nostalgic and beautiful. I do think it’s a stunning metamorphosis of a person, and tender to watch of people you care for so deeply. I’m reading Small Great Things by Jodi Piccoult. Looking for an easy, local-ish place to go for our 10-year wedding anniversary next month. That’s the short of it for now.

Lots of things and feelings going on for so many right now. Always in pursuit of good company and real conversation. I hope you are finding slivers of that.

This recipe has been popular over on SKCC, so I thought it should live here too. We use a mix of legumes, some bulgur for texture. Your favorite broth or stock, homemade if you’re fancy. I do stir kale in at the end because I like my veggie chili to indeed, be full of vegetables, and I’m sure some real chili conisseurs would consider that a disgrace. It’s 2020! Live your life.

Our favorite way to serve this is over extra crispy roasted sweet potato tots. The brand Alexia makes our favorites, speaking from tot fans over here. Or over a baked and split potato in general, makes this meal so filling and easy to prep ahead. As it goes with chili and stews, the toppings are crucial. Don’t skip those!

We’re on the tail end of outdoor dinner season in CA and I swear by stews and chilis being an excellent meal to feed to friends. This soup is a favorite. Because I will forever encourage feeding others, pandemic or not, maybe you can pull off a drive-way pumpkin carving next week? Chili for all? That’s on our calendar.

Wishing you wellness and warm bowls of something delicious.

VEGGIE CHILI

Serves 6

I wrote this recipe for SKCC, and it’s been popular. Even the omnivorous folks say they don’t miss the meat because there is enough flavor and texture going on.

I’ve been refilling my spice jars with dry spices from Thrive Market (if you use that link, you get a discount on your first order!). They are affordable and fresh. While you’re there and filling up your cart for free shipping, you can buy beans, grains, tomato products etc. and you’ll have pantry staples on hand for this chili at all times.

Speaking of omnivores, there has been reported success in adding a pound of ground chicken/turkey/beef to this recipe. Add it to the pot to brown and cook through after the vegetables, and add 2 more cups broth to keep everything hydrated. This will increase the serving yield to 6-8, and if that’s too much, this gifts and freezes well.

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. of avocado oil or other neutral oil
1 medium yellow onion - finely chopped
1 jalapeño - seeded & minced
2 large portobello mushrooms - wiped clean & chopped super small
sea salt to taste
pepper to taste
1 red bell pepper - finely diced
1 yellow bell pepper - finely diced
1 small sweet potato - peeled & diced small
4 cloves of garlic - grated
1 1/2 Tbsp. of chili powder
1 Tbsp. of cumin
2 tsp. of cocoa powder
1 tsp. of smoked paprika
1 Tbsp. of chipotle peppers in adobo - minced small or blended
1/3 cup of brown or green lentils
1/3 cup of bulgur
14 oz. tomato sauce
28 oz. crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
3 cups of vegetable broth
1 cup of beer or brewed coffee
2 tsp. of coconut aminos or soy sauce
1 can of black beans - drained
1 cup of frozen corn kernels
2 cups of chopped kale (optional)

Directions

Heat a large pot or Dutch-oven over medium heat. Heat the avocado oil. Get chopping, my friend!

To the pot, add the onions, jalapeño, mushrooms and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté those down for about 10-15 minutes until water is released and the mushrooms begin to brown. We really want to cook the water off here. Add the bell peppers, sweet potato, garlic and sauté about 5 minutes until the just begin to soften.

Add the chili powder, cumin, cocoa, smoked paprika, and chipotle to the pot and sauté them for another minute. Add the lentils, bulgur, tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, broth, beer or coffee and coconut aminos. Bring everything to a gentle simmer, uncovered, and let it all cook for about 35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils and bulgur are cooked through. Add the black beans, corn, and kale if using, taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. More salt? Maybe more coconut aminos. Spicier? Add more chipotle or chili powder. Let it all simmer another 10 minutes to warm through and wilt the greens.

Serve your bowls with a generous amount of toppings. Chili will keep for a week in the fridge.

Sara Forte 2020-10-22

Veggie Chili

6

Our favorite veggie chili.

• 2 Tbsp. of avocado oil or other neutral oil
• 1 medium yellow onion - finely chopped
• 1 jalapeño - seeded & minced
• 2 large portobello mushrooms - wiped clean & chopped super small
• sea salt to taste
• pepper to taste
• 1 red bell pepper - finely diced
• 1 yellow bell pepper - finely diced
• 1 small sweet potato - peeled & diced small
• 4 cloves of garlic - grated
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. of chili powder
• 1 Tbsp. of cumin
• 2 tsp. of cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. of smoked paprika
• 1 Tbsp. of chipotle peppers in adobo - minced small or blended
• 1/3 cup of brown or green lentils
• 1/3 cup of bulgur
• 14 oz. tomato sauce
• 28 oz. crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
• 3 cups of vegetable broth
• 1 cup of beer or brewed coffee
• 2 tsp. of coconut aminos or soy sauce
• 1 can of black beans - drained
• 1 cup of frozen corn kernels
• 2 cups of chopped kale (optional)

324 calories7 grams fat 54 grams carbohydrate 14 grams protein

     

american

Entrée

vegetarian, fall, entertaining, soup