Cheesy Spinach & Artichoke Dressing

It’s your all-time favorite dip — tucked, folded and stuffed right into the table’s most coveted side dish. This dressing is loaded with all the cheesy, creamy, appetizer-inspired goods, but lightened with layers upon layers of veggies, greens and sprouted grains. Sprouted grains contain nutrients that have been unlocked, meaning they are more readily available and easier to absorb and digest. They’re also delicious! And, they make a great base for hearty greens and savory cheeses, like cave-aged Gruyere (great for those decadent and gooey cheese pulls!). A hint of parmesan lends a rich but-not-too-heavy flavor boost.

Ingredients:

• 1 (1-pound) loaf sprouted whole grain bread, cut into 1/2 -inch cubes
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 (9-oz) bag baby spinach
• 2 (14-oz) can artichoke hearts, drained
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 2 cups lower-sodium chicken broth
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 ounces cave-aged Gruyere, shredded
• 2 ounces parmesan cheese, shredded

Arrange bread cubes in a single layer on 2 baking sheets. Bake at 350º for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and very crisp, rotating pans halfway through.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, celery and garlic; cook 10-15 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add spinach and wine; cook 5 minutes or until spinach wilts and wine is reduced by half. Stir in artichokes; cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat. In a large bowl combine bread and artichoke mixture and half of each cheese; toss to combine. Pour half of egg mixture over bread mixture; toss to coat. Spoon mixture into a 13 x 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Pour remaining egg mixture over bread mixture; sprinkle with remaining cheeses. Cover with foil; refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350º. Bake at 350º, covered, for 25 minutes. Uncover and cook for an additional 25 minutes or until browned and bubbly and center is cooked through.

HOLIDAY BONUS:  This dish is made a day ahead of time! This not only allows all those beautiful flavors to meld together overnight, but it’s also one less thing to worry about during the Thursday countdown.

Sidney Fry is a two-time James-Beard-Award-winning food and nutrition writer who loves creating simple, healthy recipes and thoughtful, actionable content for the hungry consumer. A healthy living proactivist, Sidney is also a registered dietitian nutritionist, recipe developer and mama of three based in Birmingham, Alabama.