Mother’s Day. Easter. Everyone knows spring signals the arrival of brunch season. Who can resist beginning your day surrounded by friends and family feasting on stacks of waffles smothered in maple syrup, creamy Eggs Benedict and crispy bacon? If you enjoy going out for brunch but dread fattening, all-you-can-eat buffets or standing in long omelet lines, try hosting your own. No need to make brunch a complicated affair. I recommend keeping the menu simple and practicing a few time-saving tips. For starters, avoid last-minute cooking. Prepare dishes you can make the night before and reheat them in the morning. Most casseroles and pastries keep perfectly warm in a 200°F oven. Next, set up a self-serve buffet in a central location so guests can help themselves. Finally, not sure what to serve? My foolproof brunch menu offers the perfect combo of sweet breakfast and savory lunch foods. I lightened up four popular brunch recipes to help you effortlessly entertain in the comfort of your home and enjoy a delicious spring meal.
Give green, leafy salad a trendy health boost and serve a Mixed Microgreens Spring Salad with a drizzle of antioxidant-rich Pomegranate-Lime Vinaigrette. Most farmers’ markets and upscale grocery stores carry microgreens, young seedlings of colorful veggies like broccoli, kale and cabbage harvested 14 days after germination. Microgreens often contain up to 40 times more nutrients than their mature counterparts. Other flavorful ingredients in this almost-too-pretty-to-eat salad include roasted asparagus, fresh blackberries, slivered almonds and pomegranate arils. To save time, make the dressing and asparagus in advance. For a rich, nutty flavor, toast the almonds in a 350-degree oven for about five minutes and cool before serving.
