Easy Breakfast Casserole

I completely agree with Reese Witherspoon in her book, Whiskey in a Teacup, that Steel Magnolias is one of the all-time greatest movies ever made. When I was in high school I rented it over and over from Blockbuster on VHS. I memorized so many lines. Recently, Andrew and I watched it with Zoe, who is now 17 (gasp!) with the fire stick on our paper thin enormous TV. My how things have changed, am I right?

It’s so hard to pick a favorite, because I adore Julia Roberts and Sally Field (among the other greats in the movie) more than words can say, but Dolly Parton’s character Truvy is the one I have quoted the most over the years. As you know, I have cooked a LOT, and there is a recipe that she refers to, which sidebar—I have never made, that calls for “a cup a cup a cup,” or “cuppa cuppa cuppa.” It’s a cup Self-Rising Flour, a cup Sugar, and a cup Fruit Cocktail With Juice. Over the years I have heard these women (who I feel like I know personally) as I have measured “a cup a cup a cup”. This recipe in a particular calls for a cup of just about every ingredient, so of course, it reminds me fondly of them.

Easy Breakfast Casserole

1 cup packed fresh spinach
1 cup dry quinoa, rinsed and cooked*
1 cup chopped cooked breakfast sausage
1 cup cheese, dairy or non-dairy
1 cup full fat coconut milk (Aroy D from Asian grocery stores is the best)
1 teaspoon Herbamare
3 whisked eggs

1. Grease one large or two small baking dishes, and set the oven to 350 F.
2. I like to put the quinoa, piping hot from just cooking, straight into my mixing bowl on top of the fresh spinach. If you let it sit for 5 minutes, this wilts the spinach, which might not be necessary, but I do it anyway.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients, saving the eggs for last. The coconut milk will cool the quinoa further so that the eggs don’t scramble on you when you add them.
4. Bake for 30 minutes, cool slightly and serve. Yum.

Serves 6

*Because quinoa (which is a SEED) is so often demonized in paleo, (and it doesn’t help that they label it as a grain right there on the package, ugh), I always feel the need to give the carb count for my quinoa recipes. This calls for 2 cups (cooked) which is about 80 carbs. So six servings is about 13 carbs per serving. That doesn’t account for the other ingredients. But if you prefer riced cauliflower then go for it 🙂 My family has always tolerated quinoa perfectly fine, and I love how easy it is, and the protein that it adds.

♥, Kelly