I love baked casseroles for weekend breakfasts. Until the last few years, this meant baked French toast, with fruit and lots of syrup on top. Delicious, but not the healthiest choice. There are lots of tasty alternatives that don’t lead to hyperglycemic coma. Try this simple recipe this weekend. It has breakfast staples like eggs and sausage, baked together with peppers, cheese, and vegetables that are so subtle, your kids won’t complain.

Ingredients:

• 12 eggs
• 1 pound ground breakfast sausage (or Italian sausage or chorizo if you prefer)
• 1 yellow or white onion, diced
• 1 red or green bell pepper, diced
• 1 4.5 ounce can of diced green chiles
• 1/2 pound spinach, chopped
• 3 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 8 ounces shredded cheddar
• For garnish: sour cream, jarred salsa, chopped cilantro

Preparation:

1. In a large skillet, brown the sausage. Add chopped onion and bell pepper, cook 5 minutes, until onion softens.
2. Drain excess fat and place sausage, onion, and peppers in a greased 9 X 13-inch casserole dish.
3. Add chiles, spinach, tomatoes, and half the cheese to the dish.
4. Beat the eggs briefly and pour over the dish.
5. Bake at 350 degrees. After 40 minutes, sprinkle with the rest of the cheese. Bake another 5-10 minutes. The eggs should be set, not runny.
6. Cut into squares, top with sour cream, salsa, and chopped cilantro.

Serve this with fresh fruit for a simple family breakfast. You can even make this a day ahead and reheat in the morning, covering the dish with foil. Happy eating!