Apple Sausage Breakfast Bake

When I was pregnant with my son I was on a high protein/low carb diet. Naturally I ate a lot of eggs. (I am so happy to know that eggs are good for you!) One day, tired of the ordinary fried eggs or quick omelets I was eating, I searched online for an egg bake that was not laden with carbs like potatoes or bread. Finding nothing, I thought to myself, Why not use apples? So I created my own breakfast bake that has been a big hit wherever I've served it. The sausage, cinnamon, and apples kind of remind me of french toast, breakfast sausage, and sautéed apples all mixed together. Its perfect for a fancy brunch, or can be made for a convenient family breakfast by baking in advance and then refrigerating or freezing serving size portions to reheat in the morning. This recipe serves at least 12, but it is easy to make only half a recipe for a small family. I usually end up making it for a brunch style supper then we eat the leftovers for breakfast the following mornings.

If you've been following my blog you know I'm a big breakfast person and I'm passionate about families starting their days on good quality breakfast dishes as versus sugary breakfast cereals and bars made of highly processed grains. This Apple Sausage Breakfast Bake has become another great addition to my healthy breakfast recipe list. It leaves me feeling full all morning with each serving supplying a whopping 18 grams of protein (calculated when prepared with homemade turkey sausage.)  (To see more of my healthy breakfast recipes go to my recipe index).

Apple Sausage Breakfast Bake

1 lb bulk turkey breakfast sausage, homemade turkey sausage, or bulk pork sausage*

1 medium onion, chopped

2 green apples, peeled, cored, and chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)

2 tablespoons whole cane sugar, real maple syrup, or regular sugar**

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup milk
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

12 eggs

Brown sausage of choice with onions. If using turkey sausage you may need to add a tablespoon or two of a healthy fat to the pan (like butter, olive oil, or coconut oil). Pork sausage may need to be drained of excess fat. 

In a medium sized bowl toss the apples with sugar and cinnamon. In a greased 9x13 inch baking pan layer the sausage and onions, apples, and cheese. Wisk milk, flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Add the eggs and mix well. Slowly poor egg mixture over the other ingredients. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until puffy and set in the center.

*I've been doing more research on pork and some studies show that pork can be bad for you if not prepared by traditional/old fashioned curing or smoking methods (sometimes labeled as "uncured"). Stay tuned for my complete post on the topic of pork.

**Can be omitted if you are diabetic or trying to avoid sugar altogether, although the subtle sweetness really does add. I have not tried using Stevia, but I imagine it would work fine.

Preparation time: 25 minutes. Bake time: 35 minutes. Servings: 12.

This recipe can be cut in half and baked in a small pan like an 8x8, or 9 inch pie plate. The bake time is about the same.

Note: To be completely Nourishing Traditions approved use unbleached flour and a natural sweetener.

Search terms:

Low carb egg bake

Egg bake for a crowd

Nourishing Traditions egg bake
Healthy breakfast egg bake casserole

Crust-Free Cheese Quiche

Quiche; Pronounced "keesh", not kwih-chee like I thought as a kid. 

An odd name, for sure. We can credit the French for this addition to our culinary vocabulary.

Quiches are egg bakes with or without some kind of meat or vegetables, that are typically baked in a crust like a pie. But crusts of course contain carbs and the store-bought ones are loaded with hydrogenated fats. Nourishing Traditions has a pretty good crust recipe that I'll share here at some point. But not using a crust at all is more ideal from a timing standpoint, especially for the busy cook.

This crust-free cheese quiche recipe is perfect of those who want to eat healthy, avoid carbs, get lots of protein, and don't want to fuss with making a crust. I found it online when I was pregnant and looking for high protein/low carb recipes. The recipe has many things going for it, not the least of which is the excellent flavor. It is pretty versitile with the ingredients, especially the toppings, you can make a full recipe, or cut it in half for a smaller family, and you can bake it in a muffin tin for a faster cook time. It makes a great high protein breakfast, but can also be eaten for dinner with a salad and a healthy carb. The quiche also reheats well which makes it a good breakfast option to bake in advance then reheat as needed in the mornings.

(This recipe is adapted from one I found at Simply Recipes.)

Crust-Free Cheese Quiche
For 10 inch pie plate, 9x9 inch pan, or 12 muffin holes.

1/4 cup butter, bacon drippings, or coconut oil

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour*

3/4 cups milk

1 cup cottage cheese

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoon stone ground or brown mustard

6 eggs

1/2 cup greek yogurt or softened cream cheese, full fat!

2 cups cheddar cheese, or cheese of your choice

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Suggested toppings:

4 slices bacon

1/4 cup chopped green onions
6 cherry tomatoes, cut in half

thinly sliced onion 
finely chopped bell peppers
minced fresh parsley

any other fresh herbs or veggies of your choice

If using bacon, fry bacon until crisp and reserve the drippings. (4 slices should yield about 1/4 cup drippings. Don't bother measuring the fat if you are using bacon.) Crumble the bacon and set aside. (Have no fear - pork, including bacon, in moderation is not bad for you according to Nourishing Traditions!)

If using butter or coconut oil; Melt the butter or coconut oil in a medium saucepan on medium heat. 

Add flour to the bacon drippings, butter or coconut oil; cook, stirring until bubbly, or for about 2 minutes. (I found the flour in the bacon drippings did not bubble, so go by the time, not the bubbles for this.) Gradually add the milk; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat; set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Combine cottage cheese, baking powder, salt and mustard; set aside.

Beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl. Slowly add the Greek yogurt or cream cheese, the cottage cheese mixture and the milk/flour sauce. Fold in the shredded cheddar or cheese of your choice, and Parmesan cheese.

Pour into a buttered 10 inch pie plate, 9x9 inch baking pan, or 12 muffin holes. Sprinkle chopped green onions and crumbled bacon on the top. Arrange tomato halves, cut side up, around the top. (These are the toppings I used in the photo.)

Or arrange toppings of your choice on the top.

For 10 inch pie plate or 9x9 inch baking pan bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes, or until the top is set and is starting to turn golden brown.

For muffin tin bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until lightly browned.

*Use unbleached flour to make this quiche Nourishing Traditions approved.

Preparation time: 25 minutes. Cook time: 5 minutes plus 30-40 minutes baking: Servings: 6-8.

If you are a smaller family and don't want leftovers, here is the same recipe but cut in half. I know some people have trouble doing math in their heads so I'll just save you the trouble and write out the recipe here.

Crust-Free Cheese Quiche

For 8 inch pie plate, 8x8 inch pan, or 6 muffin holes.

2 tablespoons butter, bacon grease, or coconut oil

1 tablespoons all-purpose flour

6 tablespoons milk

1/2 cup cottage cheese

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon stone ground or brown mustard

3 eggs

1/4 cup greek yogurt or softened cream cheese, full fat!

1 cup cheddar cheese, or cheese of your choice

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Suggested toppings:

2 slices bacon, optional

2-3 tablespoons chopped green onions

4 cherry tomatoes, cut in half

thinly sliced onion 

finely chopped bell peppers

minced fresh parsley

any other fresh herbs or veggies of your choice

If using bacon, fry bacon until crisp and reserve the drippings. (2 slices should yield about 2 tablespoons drippings. Don't bother measuring the fat if you are using bacon.) Crumble the bacon and set aside. (Have no fear - pork, including bacon, in moderation is not bad for you according to Nourishing Traditions!)

If using butter or coconut oil: melt the butter or coconut oil in a medium saucepan on medium heat. 

Add flour to the bacon drippings, butter or coconut oil; cook, stirring until bubbly, or for about 2 minutes. (I found the flour in the bacon drippings did not bubble, so go by the time, not the bubbles for this.) Gradually add the milk; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat; set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Combine cottage cheese, baking powder, salt and mustard; set aside.

Beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl. Slowly add the Greek yogurt or cream cheese, the cottage cheese mixture and the milk/flour sauce. Fold in the shredded cheddar or cheese of your choice, and Parmesan cheese.

Pour into a buttered 8 inch pie plate, 8x8 inch baking pan, or 6 muffin holes. Sprinkle chopped green onions and crumbled bacon on the top. Arrange tomato halves, cut side up, around the top.

Or arrange toppings of your choice on the top.

For 8 inch pie plate or 8x8 inch baking pan bake at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes, or until the top is set and is starting to turn golden brown.

For muffin tin bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until lightly browned.

Preparation time: 25 minutes. Cook time: 5 minutes plus 30-35 minutes baking: Servings: 3-4.

Search terms:

Healthy quiche

Crustless quiche

Nourishing Traditions quiche