HEALTHY SAUSAGE EGG CASSEROLE

Make ahead breakfasts are great.  We’ve added spinach and yogurt to give this breakfast egg casserole a healthy punch and added taste.

Ingredients

• 6 slices sandwich bread or sliced baguette
• 1 pound Italian chicken sausage bulk or casings removed
• 4 whole green onions sliced, reserve some green slices for garnish
• 1 big bunch fresh spinach or 20 ounce bag or 20 ounces frozen chopped spinach
• 8 ounces cheddar cheese shredded
• 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes halved

Egg Mixture

• 10 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt or coconut yogurt
• 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

For Casserole

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 
2. Brown sausage in large skillet over medium high heat, about 5-10 minutes.  Add the sliced green onions for the last few minutes, reserve some green for garnish.  Remove sausage and onion, gently wipe out pan with a paper towel. 
3. Wash fresh spinach leaves and drop in same skillet.  The little bit of water left on the leaves will help steam the spinach.  Cook for about 5 minutes until the spinach is wilted.
4. Spread one side of bread slices with Dijon mustard.  In buttered 3 quart baking dish (about 9″ X 12″), lay the bread in the bottom of the dish, then layer the sausage and scallions, then the spinach, then the tomatoes.

Make Egg Mixture

1. Crack 10 eggs into a bowl, add milk, yogurt, salt and pepper.  Whip. 

Finish Egg Casserole

1. Pour egg mixture over the layered ingredients.  Make sure the ingredients have cooled or the egg will start to cook.  Cook right away or cover and put in the refrigerator overnight.
2. Bake casserole in preheated 375 degree oven for 40 minutes or until the eggs are set and the top of the casserole looks golden.

For Egg Muffins or Mini Muffins

1. Follow the instructions through step 3.  Once the spinach is cooked remove to a cutting board and chop, for the mini muffins you’ll want to do a very fine chop.
2. Butter the muffin tins.  If using the bread, then cut into small cubes and add a teaspoon of dry mustard powder to the eggs.  I often times leave out the bread and mustard all together.
3. Crack 10 eggs into a bowl, add milk, yogurt, salt and pepper. Whip
4. Evenly divide the cooked vegetables into the muffin tins, about a teaspoon of vegetables, sausage and cheese.  The using a ladle fill muffin cups up to 3/4 full.  Sprinkle with some additional shredded cheese and top with a half a grape tomato.
5. Bake full size muffins in a 375 degree oven for about 15-20 minutes, mini muffins for 10-15 minutes or until the egg is set.