Cooking with Tammy Kelly: Happy "healthy" Holiday breakfast!
One of the greatest things about Holiday vacation is that you don’t have to grab your breakfast on a mad rush out the door at 6 am. There is a little more time to enjoy a tasty breakfast while spending time with family and friends. Here are some yummy breakfast recipes (some healthier than others) that will make enough for you to share! Enjoy and Happy Holiday Breakfast!
Healthy Asparagus Breakfast Casserole
2 sweet potatoes, cubed
10 to 12 ounces mixed mushrooms
1 bunch asparagus, tender parts, chopped
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
12 large eggs
½ cup almond milk
1 garlic clove, minced
½ to 1 teaspoon sea salt*
½ teaspoon black pepper
4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
1 bunch scallions, chopped
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
Preheat the oven to 400°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. On one baking sheet spread the sweet potatoes; on the other baking sheet spread the mushrooms and asparagus. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with pinches of salt and pepper and toss to coat. Roast the sweet potatoes for 30 minutes. Place the baking sheet with the mushrooms and asparagus in the oven to roast during the final 10 minutes.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, garlic, salt, and black pepper.
Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9x13-inch** baking dish with nonstick spray. Place all the sweet potatoes evenly in the bottom of the baking dish. Add half of the vegetables from the second baking sheet and spread out evenly. Sprinkle with the feta cheese, scallions, and peas.
Pour the egg mixture evenly over the vegetables. Add the remaining mushrooms and asparagus.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the eggs are set and the edges are lightly golden brown. Let the casserole sit for 10 minutes before slicing. Season with additional salt and pepper, if desired. Serves 10-12.
Crock Pot Breakfast Casserole
1 dozen large eggs
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 package (total of 1 lb.) frozen diced hash brown potatoes (you could sub with finely chopped sweet potatoes)
2 packages (8 count each) pre-cooked chicken sausages
2 red bell peppers, diced/cut into 1 inch cubes
1 green bell pepper, diced/cut into 1 inch cubes
1/2 an onion, finely diced
2 cups baby spinach, chopped
1 cup shredded cheddar Jack cheese (optional)
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped for topping (optional)
In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, salt and garlic salt.
Chop and cut all ingredients. Cut the chicken breakfast sausage from frozen - so it goes into the casserole frozen, no pre cooking required.
If making the breakfast casserole in a slow cooker/crock pot: spray the slow cooker with cooking spray, then put frozen potatoes and cut up chicken breakfast sausage at the bottom of the slow cooker/crockpot, then put diced bell peppers, onion and baby spinach on top.
Spread whisked eggs on top so that everything is mixed. If using cheese, sprinkle cheese on top. Put lid on, and cook for 6-8 hours on low (until temperature reaches 160°F in center and egg mixture is set) if making this overnight, let it cook for 8 hours. This can also be made in 2 1/2-3 hours on high. Before serving, sprinkle parsley on.
If making the breakfast casserole in the oven: spray a 9 x 13 casserole dish with cooking spray. Add all ingredients except the cheese and parsley to the bowl with the eggs (add the potatoes, chicken breakfast sausage, bell peppers, onion and spinach into the bowl) and stir.
Pour half the mixture into the prepared baking dish, sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the cheese, then pour the remaining mixture into the baking dish and top with remaining cheese, cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 350 covered for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake an additional 15 minutes, or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Sprinkle on parsley and let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Serves 10, each serving contains; Calories 287, Fat 17 g, Cholesterol 262 mg,
Carbohydrates 15 g, Protein 19 g, Fiber 1 g, Sodium 720 mg.
Breakfast Casserole with Italian Sausage, Mushrooms, and Cheese (Low Carb)
19.5 oz. uncooked turkey or pork Italian sausage
2 tsp. olive oil
1 lb. sliced mushrooms
2 cups grated Mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup sliced green onions, plus more to sprinkle over the top (optional but good)
1 cup cottage cheese, rinsed and drained
10 eggs, beaten until whites and yolks are well combined
1 tsp. spice blend seasoning
1/4 cup coarsely grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a large casserole dish (about 9" x 13") with non-stick spray.
Add 2 tsp. olive oil to a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat, squeeze turkey Italian sausage out of casings, and cook until sausage is done and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. I used the sharp side of a metal turner to break the sausage apart as it cooked. When sausage is done, spread out in a layer in the casserole dish.
Heat another 2 tsp. oil in the same frying pan and cook mushrooms until all liquid is released and evaporated and they're starting to brown slightly. Layer mushrooms over the sausage in the casserole dish.
Sprinkle 1 cup grated cheese and 1/4 cup sliced green onions over the sausage and mushrooms.
While sausage and mushrooms cook, put cottage cheese into a fine strainer, put strainer in sink and rinse cottage cheese gently with cold water and let drain well.
Break eggs into a medium sized bowl or large glass measuring cup, then beat with a fork until yolks and whites are well combined. Add spice blend seasoning drained cottage cheese, and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and stir together. Then pour the egg mixture over the ingredients in the casserole dish. Use a fork to gently stir so all ingredients are coated with egg and well combined.
Sprinkle the other cup of grated cheese over the top.
Bake 30-35 minutes, or until the center is completely set and the top of the breakfast casserole is starting to lightly brown. Serve hot, garnished with more green onions if desired.
Serves 8, each serving contains; Calories 389, Fat 24 g, Cholesterol 340 mg, Carbohydrates 6 g, Protein 36 g, Fiber 1 g, Sodium 759 mg.
