Holiday Recipe Makeovers: Breakfast Sausage
In almost all of my nutrition seminars and with clients I talk about the concept of ‘plus-ing up’ your recipes or meals by sneaking in some fruits and veggies to add some additional nutrition bang for your calorie buck. This recipe is a great way to sneak in some fruits/veggies while lightening up your typical breakfast sausage. In addition, the apples and onions help keep the patties moist. I love making a big batch of these and then freezing individual patties so I can just cook when I’m ready to eat them. They have all the same herbs and seasonings as traditional breakfast sausage but because of the lean ground turkey and veggies, you save a bunch of calories and fat and up the fiber content. And most importantly - they are delicious! Enjoy!
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 ½ cup finely chopped, unpeeled apples
½ cup finely chopped sweet onion
2 small cloves garlic, minced (about ¾ teaspoon)
1 teaspoon rubbed sage
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1-1½ pounds lean ground chicken or turkey
Directions
Heat oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add apple and onion. Cook until nearly tender, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; cook for 30 seconds more. Transfer mixture to large bowl and let cool to room temperature.
Stir sage, salt, coriander, and pepper into apple mixture. Add ground chicken; mix with hands until combined.
Form mixture into 1/2-inch-thick patties (should get between 12 and 16). Transfer to a tray or baking sheet lined with plastic wrap. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. If storing for >1 week, wrap each patty in plastic wrap and freeze.
To use, thaw sausage patties in refrigerator, if frozen. Heat nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add sausages. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, turning patties over halfway through cooking.