Easy breakfast casserole and tips to repurpose leftovers

Hey daddio! Here’s what you’ll find in this week’s newsletter -

• A delicious, high-protein breakfast casserole recipe that’s so easy even a toddler can make it

• Ideas to reduce your food budget by making the most out of leftovers

• One simple trick to improve your gut health without changing your diet

But first…

Dad Joke of the Week

Tag us with your best dad jokes on Twitter or shoot us an email at [email protected] - we’ll feature our favorites here!

Family Recipe: Easy Tater Tot Sausage Breakfast Casserole

This week’s recipe is so simple - even a toddler could make it! A nice satisfying crunch from a tater tot crust, meets a satisfying mix of Italian sausage, bell peppers and onions, held together with an egg bake. Did I mention that it’s high in protein, cheap, and super easy to make?

My family has enjoyed this dish for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! We got this recipe from my mom and learned to cook it during the first few week after my son was born. It was a real life-saver during those tough times of figuring out how to change diapers and operate on no sleep.

You can prepare in advance so that all you need to do is throw it in the oven before serving.

Follow along with video and photos on Twitter, or keep reading below for the recipe:

Sausage Breakfast Casserole

Serves 4

1 pound of Italian sausage

1 red bell pepper

1 medium white onion

6 eggs

8oz of tater tots (approx half a bag)

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 375

2. Chop veggies

3. Brown meat, adding veggies halfway

4. Add cooked meat and veggies in a single layer to the bottom of a baking dish

5. Beat eggs and pour over top of meat mixture

6. Create single layer of tater tops on top

7. Bake for 20 minutes

Dinner Dojo: Mastering Leftovers

Every dad hates wasting food. It's dollars paid at the grocery store, and energy spent in the kitchen.

Instead of inviting belly fat and heartburn by being the daddy garbage disposal, save your leftovers to repurpose in new meals. Even just a little bit can go a long way for your health and your finances.

Little differences compound over time.

Not only will your waistline and your wallet thank you, but your tastebuds will too! Instead of choking down cold food after you’re full, you can enjoy a hot meal later with a fresh twist on the original dish.

One of the go-to Saturday breakfasts at our house is to top our basic toast and eggs with whatever leftovers we have from the week. Chili, grilled meat, carne asada - we haven’t been disappointed yet!

Bonus tip: try reheating your leftovers in the oven to improve the taste and quality! It takes a bit longer, but can be just as easy with a little planning ahead. The difference is worth it - I promise!

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Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard about your microbiome and the importance of gut health.

One way to improve your gut health is by consuming probiotics. There are plenty of supplements out there, but real foods are always best for nutrient quality and optimal absorption.

Trouble is - it’s not always easy to eat enough. Fermented foods like kimchi and kombucha are great sources of probiotics, but they’re not everyone’s cup of tea (not mine anyways).

My personal favorite: kefir.

It’s basically a fermented yogurt drink that can be flavored or unflavored. For the last few years, I’ve been replacing milk and / or yogurt in my daily smoothies will kefir. I like to use plain whole milk kefir, but find what works for you! I recommend starting with either the Lifeway or 365 brands.

Now, my smoothies taste even better, and I don’t have to worry about buying expensive supplements or smelling like sauerkraut farts.

If you’re not big on smoothies (or just stubborn), you can also supplement probiotics to improve your gut health. This one on Amazon comes doctor-approved and boasts a 4.5 star rating with 135k+ reviews.

Community Shoutout

A shoutout to my fellow dad chefing it up for his family - the King’s Cook! Man’s got mad skills, and I love his emphasis on serving simple, hearty meals with a story.

Stuffed peppers were one of the first things that my wife and I cooked together when we started dating in college. It’s been in and out of our family rotation for years, and I appreciated the reminder from the King’s Cook to bring it back soon!

That’s it for this week! Don’t forget to subscribe for weekly updates right to your inbox:

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