Breakfast Casserole

Typically a breakfast casserole is filled with full fat cheese, sausage, whole eggs, and grits.  This version is stripped of much of the fat, but not stripped of flavor!  It is equally as delicious and easy to make!  I was amazed at how much flavor this had!!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tbsp. ground nutmeg
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 6 large leeks, white and light green part, chopped and well rinsed
• 2 cups cottage cheese
• 4 ounces (1/2 cup) goat cheese
• 4 cup tightly packed chopped fresh spinach
• 1 quart egg whites (from about 16 eggs), lightly beaten

**This was my first time ever using leeks for anything and I had no clue what to do, but a quick visit to youtube helped me out!  It was super easy and here is the tutorial I used!


DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, mix the oregano, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, salt, and nutmeg.  Add the turkey and mix with a spatula or your hands.
2. Slick a large skillet with the olive oil and heat it over medium heat.  Add the turkey mixture and cook until the meat is no longer pink.
3. Add the leeks and cook for another minute; then add the cottage cheese and goat cheese.  Keep cooking and stirring over low heat until the goat cheese just begins to melt.
4. Pour the mixture into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.  Spread the spinach on top and then pour in the beaten egg whites.  
5. Use the spatula to make sure the egg whites are distributed evenly in the dish.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour, or overnight.
6. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Bake the casserole for 45 minutes to an hour - until a knife stuck into the center comes out clean.