4 Nutrient-Dense Breakfast Casseroles

Bye-bye SAD, Hello Nutrient Dense!

Cereal and juice, toast and coffee – Standard American Diet (SAD) breakfast staples – quickly convert to glucose (blood sugar). High blood sugar, especially first thing in the morning, sets you up for a blood sugar roller coaster that can continue throughout the day and night.

It affects your energy, hormones, focus and mood. This blood sugar roller coaster also wreak havoc on your body (cells, tissues, organs) as it tries to balance the blood sugar and insulin racing around. (Insulin is the hormone your body uses to store excess glucose.) Chronically high blood sugar and insulin cause inflammation. Chronic inflammation leads to metabolic diseases like diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular and even Alzheimer’s.

Breakfast casseroles easily provide a nutrient density: macronutrients, micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals) and fiber to balance your blood sugar for stable, steady energy. This will also improve your focus, your mood and boost your immune system and brain function.

Protein provides building blocks for your tissues, antibodies that strengthen your immune system, insulin and glucagon that regulate your blood sugar and energy levels, and for neurotransmitters that affect your memory, focus and more
Fats are essential for numerous functions and structures such as your hormones and provides slow burning energy. They also help you absorb soluble vitamins (A, D, E & K), slow down digestion and regulate hunger
Carbs: Carbs are a quick source of fuel for your muscles and brain, provide fiber for healthy gut bacteria, slows down your digestion and helps regular elimination of waste. Combined with fat and protein, carbs help your body fight infections, grow new body tissue (bones and skin) and lubricate our joints

“Nutrient dense refers to the concentration of nutrients (vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, essential fatty acids, and essential amino acids per calorie of food. The Standard American Diet is energy-rich, but it’s also nutrient-poor: the types of food that many people eat each day are high in added sugars, refined grains, and industrially processed oils, but lack the vitamins and minerals (and other health-promoting compounds) found in whole foods. The result is a high prevalence of nutrient deficiency.” – Nutrivore: The Radical New Science for Getting the Nutrients You Need from the Food You Eat, Sarah Ballantyne

These casseroles are based on eggs, which are a powerhouse of nutrients:

5 – 7 grams of protein per egg
brain healthy B vitamins
essential minerals calcium, iron, potassium, zinc, manganese
important lesser-known nutrients like choline an essential nutrient that improves cognitive function and disease fighting nutrients like lutein and zeaxanthin. These anti-inflammatory carotenoids may reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration, decrease cancer risks, and improve cardiovascular health

Omnivore or Vegetarian

So versatile! You can modify any of these recipes to be omnivore or vegetarian. Change them up with additional/different veggies, herbs and spices for more flavor and nutrient density

✅ Leafy greens and cruciferous family of vegetables are some of nature’s most nutrient dense foods

✅ Rainbow vegetables provide a wide diversity of essential micronutrients. Each color (green, red, orange, white) represents a whole family of immune boosting and healing compounds

✅ Flavor compounds in herbs and spices are powerful antioxidants and many also have antibacterial, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties

Make a double recipe Saturday or Sunday to have leftovers for breakfast or lunch during the week.

Traditional strata – Color My Food

Strata is a brunch dish made from a mixture of bread and egg giving it a custard-like texture. The name strata (layers) comes from layering the bread with filling. There are innumerable variations using different vegetables, meat (sausage, ham) and/or cheese. Prep the day before and chill overnight. Bake in the morning.

Protein (eggs & sausage)+ 3 plant foods (onion, poblano pepper, cilantro)

Vegetarian Breakfast Casserole – Well Plated

Protein (eggs & cottage cheese) + 6+ plant foods (bell peppers, broccoli, garlic, onion, mushrooms, herbs).

You can also add turkey sausage, leftover chicken, or ground meat to make an omnivore option.

Hash Brown Casserole – Two Healthy Kitchens

Frozen hash browns are a helpful staple. Just remember to defrost them first. Mix hash browns into the mixture OR use them as a crust like a quiche (my preference) and pour your egg mixture over it.

Protein (eggs & turkey sausage) + 5+plant foods (bell peppers, ,garlic, onions, potatoes, tomatoes, herbs)

Mexican Breakfast Casserole – Chew Out Loud

This is one of my favorites – with a couple of modifications: I skip the enchilada sauce and use half the cheese.

Topped with salsa and guac it’s super nutrient dense and deeelicious!

Protein (chorizo + eggs) + 6 plant foods (black beans, cilantro, corn, tomatoes

What is your favorite breakfast casserole?

References

Haas, Elson M, (2006). Staying Healthy with Nutrition, New York, NY: Random House Inc.
Ballantyne, Sarah, (2017). Paleo Principles: The Science Behind the Paleo Template, Canada, Victory Belt Publishing Inc.
Sharma, Praveen. “Inflammation and the Metabolic Syndrome. “Indian Journal of Clinical Biochemistry : IJCB, Springer-Verlag, Oct. 2011, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3210244/.
Shoelson, Steven E, et al. “Inflammation and Insulin Resistance. “The Journal of Clinical Investigation, American Society for Clinical Investigation, July 2006, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1483173/