I was never big on breakfast. I started being bused to school in fifth grade, which meant early wake ups and not a lot of time to. Enjoy a hot breakfast. Throughout middle school and high school I relied on breakfast bars and fruit....by the time I was in college breakfast was something I had on the weekends only, and to be honest that wasn't very often. Eating before heading to the office usually meant I was hungry by 10, so I started eating breakfast at work. Oatmeal, cereal and when I was really adventurous microwaved eggs. Basically, I ate breakfast because I had to and very rarely enjoyed it.
My lack of breakfast imagination and desire for something quick lead me to toasted PB&J, waffles, my trusty oatmeal and Greek yogurt. Wasn't the best option, or healthiest.
To reintroduce a healthy breakfast into my life I've started making egg dishes that I can re-heat. It's a nice easy way for me to have a "grab and go" option without relying on carbs.
So far we've made a spicy breakfast casserole and little egg muffins. Pairing those with berries and breakfast sausages have made for some delicious mornings.
Below are the recipes for both.
Spicy Breakfast Casserole
½ onion, diced 1 lb. hot Italian turkey/chicken sausage (approx 4 links, casings removed) 3 c. broccoli florets, chopped into bite-size pieces 1 medium sweet potato, shredded 1 ¾ c. liquid egg whites 5 whole eggs 1 tsp. garlic salt 1 Tbs. Sriracha 1 tsp. sea salt ½ tsp. fresh black pepper 1 tsp. coconut oil or olive oil, to grease pan and sauté onions ½ c. smoked pepper jack cheese, shredded (optional)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 9×9” or 9×13” glass baking dish.
In a large skillet, add ½ tsp. oil and add chopped onions. Saute until translucent. Add sausage, breaking it up with a spatula and stirring occasionally until evenly browned.
Bring a sauce pan of water to boil over high heat. Add broccoli florets and blanch for 2 minutes. Immediately empty to a strainer and let drain.
In a large bowl, combine eggs and egg whites and whisk with a fork until blended. Add shredded sweet potato, garlic salt, Sriracha, and salt & pepper. Whisk until incorporated.
To your greased baking dish, add the blanched broccoli florets and the onion-sausage mixture. Pour the egg and sweet potato mixture evenly over the top and sprinkle lightly with cheese (if using).
Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until center is set and eggs are no longer runny. (If you use a 9×9 baking dish, it may take slightly longer to set in the middle.)
Let cool for 10-15 minutes. Slice into squares and serve.
Mexican Turkey Frittata
1 (20-ounce) package JENNIE-O® Extra Lean Ground Turkey Breast ¼ teaspoon cumin 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 green pepper, chopped 2 cups sliced small mushrooms 1 tablespoon chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely chopped (we used Siracha) 2 cups egg substitute or 8 eggs ¼ cup milk ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro 1 cup shredded low-fat Mexican blend cheese ⅓ cup green onions Mexican Turkey Frittata (Continued) 3 of 3
Directions:
Heat oven to 350°F. Mist 12 muffin cups with cooking spray. Cook ground turkey as specified on the package. Always cook to well-done, 165°F. as measured by a meat thermometer. Sprinkle with cumin; stir to mix. In large skillet over medium-high heat, add oil, green pepper, mushrooms and chipotle peppers. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are cooked. In large bowl, whisk eggs, milk and cilantro until well mixed. Stir in turkey, cheese, mushroom mixture and green onions. Spoon mixture into muffin cups, filling approximately ¾ full.
Bake 20 minutes or until set.