It’s Fall! Back to school or work, breakfast is usually not the meal you want to get out your pots and pans and cook up a storm. Even though I’m retired, I seldom want to do a lot of cooking first thing in the morning. But I am trying to work some low-carb breakfasts into the rotation so I don’t resort to eating cereal.
This slow cooker casserole can be made in advance – try on the weekend when you have the time. You can throw this together in about 15 to 20 minutes, and the clean up is easy – one pan, one slow cooker (with a liner* it is minimal cleaning), a knife, a whisk, a grater, a bowl. Plug in your slow cooker and walk away – when it’s done, refrigerate or freeze in individual servings.
Now you’re all set for hectic weekday mornings — just pop a serving in the microwave for ONE MINUTE and voila, a hot and healthy, low carb, low fat, dairy-free breakfast that is, of course, yummy, or why bother!
*I like to use disposable liners in my slow cooker because it eliminates all the mess that usually keeps me from wanting to use the slow cooker! You might want to try them if you are looking for ways to simplify your clean up after cooking.
Serves 8.
INGREDIENTS
- Vegetable oil cooking spray
- 1 cup or about 1 1/2 bunches green onions, white and light green parts, sliced
- 3 large cloves garlic, diced
- 1 8 oz bag baby spinach, chopped
- 12 large eggs
- 1 medium sweet potato, about 1 – 1 1/2 cups, peeled and shredded
- 8 oz turkey sausage, bulk
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 tsp dried parsley , optional
DIRECTIONS
1. Spray the inside of a slow cooker with spray oil, OR line slow cooker with a disposable plastic liner and spray the inside of the liner.
2. Spray a large pan with vegetable oil and heat over medium high heat, until hot. Add onion and garlic and sauté about 3 minutes or until beginning to brown; add spinach and stir for 30 seconds or so, until spinach wilts. Remove from heat and add salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the veggies evenly across the bottom of the slow cooker.
3. Carefully wipe out the pan with a paper towel (don’t burn yourself!) and place pan over medium high heat. Spray pan with vegetable oil and when hot, add sausage, using a spoon to break it up into small pieces. Cook meat until it is browned and there are no pink spots.
4. Drain the liquid from the sausage and evenly spread the sausage over the veggies in the bottom of the slow cooker.
5. In a large bowl, whisk eggs until combined and then whisk in sweet potato, along with the 3/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper.
6. Pour egg mixture evenly over meat and veggies. If desired, sprinkle parsley evenly over the top.
7. Cook on low: large slow cooker 2 1/2 – 3 hours, small slow cooker 3 1/2 to 4 hours, or until casserole is completely set and does not “jiggle” or have any liquid spots.
8. Allow casserole to cool completely (remove slow cooker from heating element to speed this up). Cut into 8 equal pieces. Wrap each piece in saran wrap, then in foil, and place in freezer.
OR
Save some or all of the casserole for the next morning, placing saran-wrapped pieces in the fridge overnight.
9. To serve: Reheat on a plate in microwave, covered loosely with a paper towel, about 1 min on high per piece for refrigerated and about 2 minutes on high per piece for frozen; your microwave times may vary.
Healthy, EZ, Yummy! 