Weekly Recipe: Blueberry-Sausage Strata

With the Fruit & Veggie challenge underway, here's an interesting way to get in some servings. Fill the other half of your plate with a side salad or fruit salad and you'll be set.

If you're like me, and you sometimes don't read the instructions before you decide on a recipe, here's a tip: THIS NEEDS TO SIT FOR AT LEAST TWO HOURS, OR OVERNIGHT. Make sure you budget that time in! :)

Blueberry-Sausage Strata
Serves 10

1/2 pound sweet Italian turkey sausage links, casings removed
2 leeks, cleaned and thinly sliced, white and light green parts only
1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried
4 cups fresh blueberries
1 (1 pound) loaf whole wheat crusty bread, thinly sliced
1 quart low-fat (1%) milk
1 1/2 cup fat-free egg substitute
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Spray large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and set over medium-high heat. Add sausage, leeks, and thyme; cook, breaking up sausage with wooden spoon, until sausage is no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Remove skillet from heat; stir in 2 cups blueberries.

Spray 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. Whisk milk, egg substitute, salt and pepper in large bowl until blended. Place half of bread in baking dish; top evenly with sausage mixture and then egg mixture. Top with remaining bread, pressing it into egg mixture until moistened. Cover and refrigerate until bread softens, at least 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 325. Uncover baking dish and place in large roasting pan. Add enough hot water to roasting pan to come halfway up sides of baking dish. Bake until center is set and top is browned, 60-65 minutes.

Carefully transfer strata to rack and let cool completely. (Or cover tightly with foil and freeze up to 1 month. To serve, let thaw in refrigerator overnight. Bake, covered, at 350 until heated through, 25-30 minutes.) Serve, sprinkled with remaining 2 cups of blueberries.

Per serving (about 1 cup): 258 cal, 5g fat, 1g sat fat, 1g trans fat, 26mg cholesterol, 559mg sodium, 5g fiber, 19g protein