I am sure you have heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Hate to break it to you that it actually is. What we put into our body truly matters, so try out this healthy and easy to grab-and-go Mediterranean breakfast!
How do I make this Mediterranean breakfast casserole?
Making this dish is so easy and the best part is, is that you can make it ahead of time and have it ready for the morning. I just heat a slice up in the microwave and it tastes just like the first day I made it. Perfect for if you do not have time to make breakfast in the mornings, but still want a nutritious meal. You can also make it in advanced for holidays such as Christmas morning or for the day after New Years Eve!
I like to have everything prepped before I start adding anything to the casserole dish. So take out all of your ingredients and tools needed for this recipe. Go ahead and preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. I used frozen hashbrowns to make this, however I let them thaw before pressing them into the pan. While those were thawing, I cut all my veggies. I diced up the peppers, onions, and ham. Finally, I cracked all my eggs into a cup and whisked them together with milk, garlic, and all my seasonings.
Now we are ready to put the Mediterranean Breakfast casserole all together
Grease your pan and add the shredded hashbrowns. Press them down until they are spread evenly on the bottom of the dish.
Add all of the veggies, ham, and feta cheese on top and make sure they are spread evenly as well.
Lastly, pour the egg mixture on top and place it in your oven to cook uncovered for around 50-55 minutes.
How will I know it is done cooking?
You will know it is done when the edges are set and the middle just barely jiggles.
How long will it last?
This makes great leftovers and will last in the fridge for 3-5 days.
Why is breakfast the most important meal of the day?
Well to put it very simply, it sets the tone for the day. If you break up the word, it literally says “break fast”. It is the first meal after fasting all night, which means that you should choose wisely what you decide to put into your body. One in five Americans are “breakfast skippers”. If you do not eat within 2-3 hours of waking up than you are considered a breakfast skipper.
The American Heart Association believes that those who skip breakfast are less likely to reach their Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for vitamins and minerals. I’ll give you the numbers as well, because we all learn differently. The study they cited from was the Bogalusa Heart Study which had a sample size of 504. They found that of the breakfast skippers, 74% of them did not reach their RDA of vitamins and minerals. Out of those who consumed breakfast, only 41% did not reach their RDA.
There has been several studies that show a correlation between breakfast consumption and a lower risk of obesity. It has showed that those who skip breakfast usually have impaired glucose metabolism and have greater risk of developing type-2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. It showed to impact the body’s ability to control insulin and blood sugar. A study found that those who eat breakfast had a decrease in appetite, improvement in healthy food choices, and improved sleep quality.
A Balanced Breakfast
Okay so now we know that just simply eating breakfast is important, but imagine if we are fueling our bodies with what it truly needs. In the typical American diet, people eat the least amount of protein at breakfast and the most amount of protein at dinner. However, in the ideal diet (for most people) we should be consuming the same amount of protein for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
A high protein breakfast has been shown to help in weight loss by increasing muscle mass, satiety hormones, calories burned, and glucose regulations all while decreasing sugar cravings and the desire to snack at night.
So, as you can see breakfast is very important and it can be even more beneficial when consuming high protein. How much protein should we be consuming a day though? Check out my high protein brownies post to read about that! This casserole is a great and easy way to incorporate a healthier, more balanced breakfast into your routine. Let me know if you try it!
Be sure to follow me on all my socials and let me know if you try this recipe and what you think. Also, let me know if you want to learn more about the importance of breakfast and protein! You can find items used to make this recipe linked below.
Disclosure
I am not a certified nutritionist … yet, and I am not certified to give health advice. I am just providing information that I have learned. Everyone’s body is unique and has different needs. One food that is great for my body, may not be so great for you. Find what works for you! There is still so much to learn – so follow along if you want to learn with me.
Disclaimer + example: This article may contain affilate links. This means I may earn commision should you decide to sign up for a program or make a purchase using my link. I only link products I love – thank you for your support.
Mediterranean Breakfast Casserole
Equipment
- 1 Casserole dish
Ingredients
- 10 eggs
- 1 cup milk any kind of milk should work
- 2 cups hashbrowns, shredded and dethawed
- 1 cup ham, diced
- ½ cup white onion, diced
- ½ cup red pepper, diced
- ½ cup yellow pepper, diced
- 1 cup raw spinach
- 5 oz feta cheese, crumbled
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 1 sprig green onion, chopped optional for topping
Instructions
- Preheatoven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
- Greasea glass 9×13" casserole dish and add the dethawed shredded hashbrowns tothe dish. Press them down until you have an even layer covering the bottom
- Add the diced ham, onions, peppers, spinach, and feta cheese to the pan making sureall the toppings are spread evenly.
- In a small bowl, crack all the eggs and whisk in the milk, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pour the mixture into the casserole dish
- Place in the oven uncovered and allow to cook for 45-55 minutes or until edges are set and middle will be just a little jiggly.
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge and enjoyed for around 4 days. Just simply reheat in the microwave and top with green onions if desired.
References
Gibney, M. J., Barr, S. I., Bellisle, F., Drewnowski, A., Fagt, S., Livingstone, B., Masset, G., Varela Moreiras, G., Moreno, L. A., Smith, J., Vieux, F., Thielecke, F., & Hopkins, S. (2018). Breakfast in Human Nutrition: The International Breakfast Research Initiative. Nutrients, 10(5), 559. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10050559
Hawley, A. (2018, December 17). Protein, its what’s for breakfast. American Society for Nutrition. Retrieved April 3, 2023, from https://nutrition.org/protein-its-whats-for-breakfast/#:~:text=A%20high%20protein%20breakfast%20has,desire%20to%20snack%20at%20night%20.
Jess A Gwin, Heather J Leidy, Breakfast Consumption Augments Appetite, Eating Behavior, and Exploratory Markers of Sleep Quality Compared with Skipping Breakfast in Healthy Young Adults, Current Developments in Nutrition, Volume 2, Issue 11, November 2018, nzy074, https://doi.org/10.1093/cdn/nzy074