Italian Quinoa Breakfast Casserole

• Gluten free

• Meat

  • 3/4 lb Italian chicken sausage, sweet raw

• Produce

  • 5 oz Baby spinach
  • 8 Basil, leaves
  • 1 tsp Garlic powder
  • 1 tsp Oregano, dried
  • 1/2 cup Sundried tomatoes, oil-packed or dried

• Refrigerated

  • 2 Egg whites
  • 6 Eggs

• Pasta & Grains

  • 1 1/2 cup Quinoa, cooked

• Baking & Spices

  • 1 Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• Dairy

  • 6 oz Cheese
  • 1/4 cup Skim milk

Found on myutensilcrock.com

Description

Ingredients

• .5 c sundried tomatoes (oil-packed or dried, see below)
• 1.5 c cooked quinoa
• .75 lb sweet italian chicken sausage, raw
• 5 oz baby spinach
• 6 eggs
• 2 egg whites
• .25 c skim milk
• 6 oz shredded cheese (mozzarella, or an Italian mix)
• 8 basil leaves
• 1-2 t dried oregano
• 1-2 t garlic powder
• kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

• Prep the first four ingredients so they are ready to go.
• If using oil-packed sundried tomatoes, drain the oil and pat them dry; chop them into smaller bites. If using dried/dehydrated sundried tomatoes, rehydrate them by placing them in a bowl and pouring boiling water over the top, covering the tomatoes. Let them sit for at least 30 minutes while they plump back up. Let them hang out as long as possible, but drain the water out before adding the tomatoes to the dish.
• I used cooked quinoa for this recipe; follow the instructions on the package to make your batch.
• *If you are following the steps in order, this is a good time to heat the oven to 425.*
• Remove the sausage from its casing, and cook and crumble over high heat in a skillet or saute pan. Remove from the pan when cooked through.
• Spray the pan with cooking spray and cook the spinach over high heat until it wilts and browns a bit. This will ensure the water is cooked out before you put it in your casserole.
• In a large bowl, crack the eggs and egg whites. Add the milk. Use a whisk to break up the eggs and incorporate with the milk.
• Using a wooden spoon or silicone stirrer (just dont use the whisk because everything will get stuck in it), stir in all of the ingredients. Make sure the egg and cheese are distributed evenly.
• Spray the bottom and sides of a casserole dish with cooking spray, and pour in the mixture.
• Bake at 425 until the casserole gets puffy and browns, roughly 30 minutes, but check it at 25 to be sure. Press down on the top with a spoon. If liquid eggs sneak out, put it back in for a few more minutes. When its ready, the egg should be baked through.