Simply Laura Lea. Laura Lea

Cheese Fluffy Baked Eggs. They’re perfect for a group, require very little prep or cleanup, and absolutely melt in your mouth. I also have an inkling that my Apple Sausage Breakfast Bake will become a go-to for weekends or holiday entertaining. If you’re someone who goes for a lil’ salt and a lil’ heat (spice or temperature) for your first meal, this chapter is dedicated to you. I get you!

      Apple Sausage Breakfast Bake

      | HANDS-ON TIME: 30 min | TOTAL TIME: 1 h, 35 min | YIELD: 8 servings

      After a memorable brunch that included dipping chicken apple sausages

       in maple syrup, I knew I had to develop a recipe that combines those

       flavors. Technically this dish is a mix of sweet and savory, as a hint

       of maple and the caramelized apples bring out the rich savoriness of

       ground pork. You’ll fall in love with the smell wafting from your oven

       even before you take your first bite. This freezes beautifully, so I often

       make a double batch, slice it into pieces, and keep some frozen for busy

       weekday mornings. You can also try this with ground turkey, but I do

       recommend getting the 94 percent lean mixture, which includes both

       dark and white meat. I like to use Honeycrisp or Pink Lady apples, but

       play around with your favorites.

      4 teaspoons avocado oil, plus

      more for greasing, divided

      2 medium apples, chopped into

      ½-inch pieces (a little less

      than 4 cups—I don’t peel but

      you can)

      ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

      1 tablespoon maple syrup (sub

      monkfruit sweetener)

      ½ medium yellow onion, diced

      into ¼-inch pieces (¾ to 1 cup)

      1 pound ground pork breakfast

      sausage

      1½ teaspoons sea salt, divided

      ¼ teaspoon black pepper

      4 large eggs

      ½ cup canned full-fat coconut

      milk (sub heavy cream)

      1 cup blanched almond flour

      ½ teaspoon baking soda

      ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

      Preheat oven to 375° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and

       grease an 8-inch square baking dish (an 8 × 10-inch pan also works)

       with avocado oil.

      In a large mixing bowl, toss together apples, 1 teaspoon avocado oil,

       cinnamon, and maple syrup. Spread evenly on baking sheet. Roast for 30

       minutes, then allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Don’t clean mixing bowl.

      Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat, and add remaining 3

       teaspoons avocado oil. When oil moves quickly around the pan and

       is shimmering, add onions and sausage. Cook, stirring every minute

       or so to break up chunks of sausage, until the edges are golden

       brown, approximately 10 minutes. Deglaze with a splash of water (2

       tablespoons), scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.

       Cook until water evaporates, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in ½ teaspoon salt and

       pepper, remove from the heat, then allow to cool for at least 5 minutes.

      In the mixing bowl you used for the apples, combine eggs, coconut milk,

       almond flour, baking soda, vanilla, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Whisk

       to thoroughly incorporate.

      Add cooled apples and sausage mixture to egg mixture, and stir well.

       Scrape into the baking dish in an even layer, and bake for 40 to 45

       minutes, until golden brown and puffy around the edges. Allow to cool

       20 minutes before slicing and enjoying.

      Leftovers will keep tightly sealed in the refrigerator for 4 days or in the

       freezer for 2 months.

      SERVING SUGGESTION

      Combine 2 tablespoons

      unsweetened, unsalted almond

      butter, 3 tablespoons unsweetened

      almond milk, and a sprinkle of

      ground cinnamon. Stir until well

      combined. Drizzle on top of the

      Apple Sausage Breakfast Bake.

      NOTE

      Omit ½ teaspoon salt from the

      sausage mixture if you lean

      toward less seasoning.

      Sun-Dried Tomato & Broccoli

      Vegan Frittata

      | HANDS-ON TIME: 27 min | TOTAL TIME:1 h, 25 min | YIELD: 8 servings

      I’ll never forget the first time I had a slice of “farinata” (Italian chickpea

       cake) from Body & Soul Bakeshop in Union Square Market in New York

       City. I’d been loving on their muffins and cookies for months, but for

       some reason I was in a savory mood that day. There was something

       uniquely satisfying about the dense, creamy texture combined with

       slightly sweet roasted veggies. Now that I’ve made chickpea flour a staple

       in the LL Balanced pantry, I’m thrilled to share a farinata-turned-frittata

       recipe with you.

      2 tablespoons olive oil, plus

      more for greasing (use the oil

      from the sun-dried tomato jar

      if you like)

      ½ medium yellow onion, diced

      into ¼-inch pieces (¾ to 1 cup)

      ½ medium head broccoli,

      chopped into ½-inch florets

      (2½ cups; we want them

      noticeably smaller than

      traditional florets)

      1 small shallot, diced into ¼-inch

      pieces (¼ cup)

      1½ teaspoons sea salt

      (feel free to start with less

      and add to taste)

      ½ teaspoon dried basil

      ¼ teaspoon black pepper

      ¼ teaspoon garlic powder

      ⅓ cup water

      1½ cups chickpea flour

      ¼ cup nutritional