This is one exceptionally versatile recipe. And did I mention easy and healthy? You can make it for breakfast, lunch or dinner and it will seem right at home regardless of which meal you’re serving. It’s high protein, low carb and low calorie (if you cut it into 12 pieces a single slice has around 250+/- calories). It’s a staple in my roundup of basic recipes.
I’ve been making some version of this recipe for years. It first started out as baked farmers cheese (very popular in my neighborhood when I was growing up) then morphed into baked cottage cheese, then I added the egg, shredded cheese and veggies to give it more substance.
Over the years I’ve made it with spicy chili powder, corn, black beans, chicken, zucchini, chopped sweet potatos, hash browns, broccoli, cheddar cheese, pretty much whatever I have in the kitchen at the time. I serve it with salad, soup, fruit, baked potatos or just all by itself.
You can make this a day ahead of time and leave it in the fridge until you’re ready to bake it (just be sure to put the cold dish in a cold oven and then turn the oven on so the dish heats up with the oven or you’re likely to end up with a shattered dish and a cheese and egg mess in the bottom of the oven).
Once baked, leftovers can be frozen and reheated as needed. I often make this recipe and individually wrap and freeze all 12 slices so that I’ll always have a healthy homemade meal that just needs a quick reheat and a soup or salad on the side. Enjoy:)
CHEESE AND EGG BRUNCH CASSEROLE
Serves: 8-12
Prep time: about 15 minutes
Bake time: 45-50 minutes
INGREDIENTS
NOTE – use organic ingredients whenever possible…it does matter
32 oz. cottage cheese
12 eggs (preferably pasture raised)
8 oz pepper jack cheese, shredded
1 small can chopped green chilis
1 shallot (you can use a regular onion but it has a much stronger flavor than the shallot)
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
1 orange bell pepper
1 T avocado oil
1 tsp Himalayan sea salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 cup oat flour (can use wheat flour but if you use gluten free oat flour the recipe remains gluten free)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro (optional)
salt & pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350.
Spray a 9×13 casserole dish/baking pan with cooking spray (I use avocado oil).
1. Remove the core and seeds from bell peppers and chop into small pieces (they don’t need to be minced but should be bite size).
2. Remove skin and chop shallot (fine chop).
3. Heat avocado oil on medium to high heat in a skillet then add chopped shallot and bell peppers.
4. While the shallot and peppers are cooking crack open the eggs and place in a large mixing bowl. Blend at medium speed until lightly whipped and foamy.
5. Once eggs are whipped add cottage cheese, shredded pepper jack cheese, chopped green chilis including liquid, cilantro, if using, oat flour and salt and pepper. Stir/mix until well blended.
6. Once peppers and shallots are cooked down (cooking causes the water in the veggies to evaporate allowing the eggs and cottage cheese to set during cooking) and to the cheese mixture and blend until all ingredients are thoroughly mixed.
7. Pour into a prepared 9×13 casserole. Cover with a sheet of aluminum foil (just lay the foil on top, don’t wrap the dish in the foil.
8. Bake at 350F for about 30 minutes then remove foil and bake another 15 minutes until golden brown on top.
NOTE – Test for doneness by inserting a knife in the center, it should come out clean. If it doesn’t come out clean continue baking another 5-10 minutes.
