Sausage Fauxtato Frittata Recipe

Fauxtato Frittata...say that 5 times fast!!!  As many of you know, I tend to eat a lower amount of carbs.  This means potatoes are not an item I consume regularly, white or sweet.  For those of you looking to stay away from starchy carbs or from nightshades (more on this below), this frittata recipe is for you!!

How did I replace the potatoes in this recipe...jicama!!  When you boil jicama prior to cooking with it, it softens up and tastes great!  I have been experimenting with jicama a lot lately, so get ready for more recipes that include it.  If you don't like jicama, I suggest you try this recipe and see if you change your mind!

Potatoes are avoided by some for the carbohydrate content and others avoid them due to the fact they are a nightshade.  What the heck is a nightshade (or moonshade as my sister likes to call them)?  If you suffer from any of the following, nightshades MIGHT be a problem for you.  Most common symptoms are: joint pain, stiffness upon waking, or stiffness after sitting for longs periods of time, muscle pain and tension, muscle tremors, sensitivity to weather changes, poor healing, insomnia, skin rashes, heartburn, stomach discomfort, digestive difficulties, headaches, mood swings depression, chronic pain, inflammation, arthritis, or rheumatism. They can also cause permeability in our intestinal membranes (known as leaky gut), all of which may contribute to autoimmune disease.   If someone is healthy, with low inflammation in their body, a balanced immune system, and a balanced and strong digestive tract, they can often eat nightshade vegetables without a problem.  However, people with autoimmune disease are vulnerable, as nightshades often exacerbate symptoms.

What are nightshade vegetables?Tomatoes, tomatillos, potatoes, eggplant, pimento, bell peppers (green, red, yellow, cherry), banana peppers, hot peppers of all kinds green, red, chili, paprika, cayenne, goji berries, ground cherries, ashwagandha (an ayurvedic herb), Tobacco is also a nightshade.  The Latin name for this family of plants is Solanaceae, because all of them produce an alkaloid compound called solanine. This chemical is part of these plants’ natural defense system, acting as a nerve poison on insects that try to eat the plants.

Sausage Fauxtato Frittata

Ingredients

• 10 pasture raised eggs (I like Tropical Traditions soy free eggs)
• 1/2 lb pork breakfast sausage
• 5 slices bacon, sliced (about 1/2 inch pieces)
• 1 1/2 cups jicama, cubed and boiled to soften*
• 1/4 -1/2 of an onion, diced
• 1 tbsp dry parsley
• 3/4 tsp sea salt
• couple dashes of pepper

Instructions

1. Heat a 10 inch cast iron skillet over medium and cook the sausage. Remove the sausage once cooked and set aside
2. Cook the bacon in the pan until about half way done. Add the onions and cooked jicama to the bacon and saute until onions are translucent
3. While bacon is cooking, whisk the eggs in a bowl with the salt, pepper and parsley. Also turn your oven broiler on at this time
4. Once the bacon, onion and jicama mixture is done, add in the sausage and turn the heat to medium low.
5. Pour the egg mixture into the pan and cook until eggs start to form curds and edges look cooked. You want the frittata to be half way done before you put it under the broiler.
6. Place the frittata on the lower shelf of the oven and let cook for 3-5 minutes or until top is golden brown
7. Remove from heat and serve hot. This is also great as leftovers hot or cold!

Quick notes

*The jicama needs to boil for about 45 minutes (the smaller the pieces, the less time it takes them to get soft) before you add it to this recipe. This step can be done a day or two ahead of time or right before you make the frittata. Simply add the cubed jicama to a pan of boiling water and let boil for about 45 minutes. Drain off the water and store in the refrigerator.

For more information on how to create your own frittata recipe, check out my Sausage and Mushroom Frittata Recipe.

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Kate's Healthy Cupboard - Gluten Free Recipes

Italian Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

I am all about easy dinner and lunch ideas, simplicity.  I have learned that I do best with simple ingredients and honestly could eat the same thing same over and over again for my meals.  My passion truly lies in baking and sweet treats...as if you haven't noticed!!  I do try to give my readers ideas for dinners that are satisfying and most importantly taste good.  So often I am asked for meal ideas and that is one of the main reasons I created this site.

This Italian Stuffed Spaghetti Squash Recipe is a fairly easy idea full of flavor!  The stuffing is the recipe I use for my lasagne (recipe below) with the addition of ricotta, mozzarella and yellow squash (or rice noodles if you eat rice).   I can't eat dairy, but this is awesome without the cheese and I use thin slices of yellow squash as the noodles.  I added grated parmesan cheese to the top of one squash for the dairy eating crowd and left one cheeseless.

Italian Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Ingredients

• 1 large spaghetti squash
• 1 lb Italian sausage
• 1/2 lb grass-fed ground beef
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
• 1/4 tsp ground pepper
• 1/8 cup fresh parsley, minced
• 1 can (28oz) plum tomatoes
• 3 cans tomato paste
• 1/2 cup water
• parmesan or mozzarella cheese (optional)

Instructions

1. With a fork, poke holes in the spaghetti squash so it can “breath” and bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes depending on the size of squash
2. While squash is cooking, saute the sausage over medium high heat in a large sauce pan, about 3-4 minutes
3. Add the beef, onion and garlic until brown. Drain the grease
4. Add the salt, basil, fennel, pepper and parsley
5. Place the tomatoes in a bowl and mash.  Add the paste and water to the tomatoes and pour mixture into the meat
6. Simmer and cover until squash is done cooking
7. Remove Squash once it is easy to pierce with a fork and cut it into two halves lengthwise
8. Scrape out the seeds and fill each side with the meat
9. Top with cheese and place under the broiler for the cheese to melt and brown (optional)
10. Scrape the squash to form spaghetti and enjoy!!!

Variations

To make lasagne, follow all of the directions above for the sauce and let simmer covered for 1 1/2 hours.  In a small bowl, combine 2 cups ricotta cheese, 3 eggs (beaten) and an additional 1/8 cup of fresh parsley.  Place a layer of noodles or squash on the bottom of a greased 9×13 dish.  Cover with 1 1/2 cups of sauce, half of the ricotta mixture, 1/4 cup parmesan and 1/2 of the mozzarella (half of a 3/4lb bag).  Repeat layering ending with sauce and sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Bake at 350 covered for 25 minutes, remove cover and bake an additional 20 minutes.

Kate's Healthy Cupboard - Gluten Free Recipes

Sausage and Mushroom Frittata

A frittata is an Italian omelet and is often confused for a quiche.  A frittata does not have a crust like most quiches do and it also starts on the stove and ends in the oven.  I find frittatas to be so easy, and like quiches, can be made with so many different ingredient combinations. Here is a basic frittata recipe that certainly has more than just a basic taste!  It will give you an idea of how to create whatever frittata you'd like!

A couple of things to consider as you create your ideal frittata recipe:

Typically you use two eggs per person and the total number of eggs determines the skillet size.  An eight egg frittata will be cooked in an eight in skillet and ten eggs cooked in a ten inch and so on.  If you prefer a thicker frittata, use a smaller skillet than number of eggs.  Make sure the skillet is oven safe, I prefer cast iron for this.

A frittata cooks fairly quickly and most raw ingredients won't have enough time to fully cook.  Saute vegetables and meat before adding the eggs.  This also allows for moisture to be drawn out of the vegetables.  Raw vegetables will release too much moisture and leave your frittata soggy.  This is why tomatoes are not a good option since they have a high water content when raw and cooked.

Add salt to the whisked eggs, not to the vegetables, salt draws out moisture.  Before you salt and pepper the eggs, consider your ingredients and their saltiness.  For instance, sausage, ham and bacon are salty, therefore you will not need as much salt as you would if you are making an all vegetable frittata.

Recipe: Sausage and Mushroom Frittata

Ingredients

• 8 pastured eggs
• 1/2 lb breakfast sausage*
• 8oz sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 an onion, diced
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• couple dashes of paprika and garlic powder
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup cheese, grated or diced (optional)

Instructions

1. Turn oven onto broil and position the racks in the bottom portion of the oven
2. Whisk the eggs with salt and pepper (add cheese to mixture if desire), set aside
3. Brown the sausage in an 8 inch skillet(or smaller for thicker frittata) and add in the onions and mushrooms
4. Continue to saute until most of the moisture is cooked off, turn heat down to medium low
5. Pour in the egg mixture and scrape the sides as the eggs cook
6. Continue scraping as egg curds begin to form, you want the frittata to be cooked about half way through
7. Once it’s cooked half way through, place the skillet under the broiler for about 3-5 minutes until it begins to brown
8. Remove from heat and serve hot

Quick notes

*I used Whole Foods Ground Breakfast Pork Sausage. If you buy plain pork sausage, you will need to season it more since the one I used is already seasoned. You could certainly do bacon or ham instead.

Let us know what flavor combinations you come up with!!!

Kate's Healthy Cupboard - Gluten Free Recipes

Breakfast Meatza Pizza

I decided to throw this Breakfast Meatza Pizza together for Sunday Brunch over the Thanksgiving Weekend.  Looking at what it has in it, how could you go wrong regardless of what it looked like as a finished product!  I mean bacon, eggs, sausage, avocado, who wouldn't like it!  This breakfast pizza was a hit and who says it can only be eaten for breakfast!  It tastes just as good the next day for leftovers and is the perfect on the go meal!!!

Sausage Recipe inspired by Make It Paleo

Recipe: Breakfast Meatza

Serves: 4

Ingredients

Crust:

• 1 lb pork sausage*
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp garlic powder or two garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp sage
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional for spicy)

Toppings

• 4 eggs
• 2 pieces bacon
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
• 1/4 cup onions, diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• sea salt and pepper

Instructions

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the crust ingredients and mix well
2. Press the sausage mixture onto a pizza pan, cast iron pan or on a cookie sheet.
3. Bake at 425 for 20-25 minutes
4. Place the bacon in a skillet and cook until just slightly under cooked. Remove from pan and set aside
5. Place the mushrooms, onions and garlic in the pan with bacon grease and saute over medium heat until tender
6. Once the crust is done, remove it from the oven and crack the 4 eggs onto it.
7. Place the mushroom mixture, avocado and bacon pieces onto the pizza and sprinkle with salt and pepper
8. Return to the oven and bake for 10 minutes longer

Quick notes

The yolks will be slightly under cooked. If you prefer runny yolks, reduce the time or add time if you prefer yolks that are cooked all the way through.

Variations

*This could certainly be made with any other ground meat, the sausage is just the perfect breakfast meat!

If you can tolerate cheese, certainly add some to the toppings!

Get creative, there are so many options for toppings!

Kate's Healthy Cupboard - Gluten Free Recipes

Meatza Pizza

I can take it or leave it when it comes to pizza, but I love this idea!  I haven't had a slice of pizza since I don't know when.  Having a gluten and dairy sensitivity pretty much crosses pizza off the list of acceptable foods.  I obviously left off the cheese, but if you can handle cheese, have at it!

When I saw this idea, I had to try it.  There are so many variations to pizza toppings and now there is a variation to the crust.  Ground meat makes up this crust and can be done with any combo you would like.  I think this would be a fun thing to do as personal pizzas with kids.  You could make individual meat crusts and let them top it.  That way they have some ownership in their meal and may be more apt to eat it!

Recipe: Meatza Pizza

Ingredients

• 2 lbs ground meat*
• 2 eggs
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1-2 tsp salt (if using any italian sausage I would use 1)
• 2 tbsp fresh herbs (thyme, oregano, parsley, etc)
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 cup pizza sauce
• Any cheese and toppings

Instructions

1. Place everything in a bowl and combine well with hands
2. Place the meat on a greased pizza pan or a 11x17 cake pan. Make sure you have sides to your pan for excess liquid to run off.
3. Press the meat to fill the pan and create sides to look like a crust
4. Bake at 400 for 12-15 minutes
5. Remove and spread sauce, cheese and toppings and return to the oven for an additional 5 minutes
6. Turn the oven to broil and cook for another 1-2 minutes

Quick notes

*I used ground turkey breast (it's what I had) and ground italian pork sausage. The sausage gives it such good flavor.  If you don't use any sausage, you could always add some red pepper flakes or additional seasonings to spice it up.

There are so many different ways to top this!  If you are an olive person, try a Greek meatza with some olives and feta.

Kate's Healthy Cupboard - Gluten Free Recipes