By Ali Lopez
MRG Contributor
I love the chance to make a big, yummy breakfast on the weekend. But to be honest, that doesn’t always happen. Long training runs, errands and life sometimes get in the way. But if I plan well enough, I can still have a hearty, delicious breakfast on the weekend — and sometimes can even enjoy the leftovers during the week. So, how do I do that?
Introducing my Overnight Mexican Breakfast Casserole. I love this casserole because it can be made ahead and is loaded with some great protein, veggies and deliciousness! And it’s a nice alternative to sweet breakfast dishes.
This would be a great dish for you Christmas or New Year’s Day Brunch. And the recipe is very versatile, so feel free to make substitutions. Change up the beans, add sausage or bacon if you like, extra veggies, different veggies … you get the idea!
It also works really well as breakfast-for-dinner, because it can be made ahead and then you just pop it in the oven when you are ready to eat!
And for runners, this is a great way to refuel after a long run — good protein and carbs and a good dose of veggies!
I love to serve this with salsa, sour cream (or greek yogurt), and my favorite healthy fat: avocado or better yet, guacamole! And to drink, try my Mexican Maple Mocha recipe from my Fall Drinks post here on MRG.
Overnight (or not) Mexican Breakfast Casserole
1 medium onion, diced
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
olive oil, as needed
1 (5 oz.) pkg. fresh spinach (or kale)
1 (15 oz.) can black beans or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 (16 oz.) jar of your favorite salsa or 2 cups canned, diced fire roasted tomatoes
2 c. shredded Cheddar and/or Monterey Jack cheese
12 large eggs
1/2 c. milk
10-12 corn tortillas
salt and pepper, to taste
your favorite hot sauce, to taste
Grease a 9×13 casserole VERY well.
In a skillet, over medium heat sauté onion and mushrooms in a little olive oil until softened. Add spinach and allow it to wilt. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat and add the beans and tomatoes or salsa to the vegetable mixture. Spread heaping 1/2 cup of bean veggie mixture on the bottom of the greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Place 5 or 6 tortillas over the bean mixture, overlapping tortillas slightly. Layer more bean mixture and then 1 cup of shredded cheese over tortillas. Add another layer with remaining 5 or 6 tortillas. Top with remaining bean mixture.
In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt and hot sauce. Pour egg mixture over everything. Sprinkle cheese on top. Cover, and chill for at least 3 hours or overnight.
When ready to bake: Preheat oven to 350 F. Bake for 40-50 minutes until the casserole is set (eggs not jiggly.) Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.
Yummy served with avocado, greek yogurt (or sour cream) and extra salsa. It will serve from 8-10 depending on how hungry a crowd you have. You can also eat it throughout the week, warm or cold!
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Have a fueling question for Ali? Post it below in the comments section or email MRG with your healthy-eating questions at heather [at] michiganrunnergirl [dot] com
Ali will answer your questions in upcoming columns here on MRG. You can read her post about the Power of Smoothies, here » She’s also written about superfoods and shares a great recipe for kale salad here »
Ali Lopez is a northern Michigan runner, chef and health coach. You can learn more about her at her web site Healthy Chef Ali. She’s also on Facebook here »
You can listen to a conversation about running and eating between Ali and Heather on a recent MRG podcast episode here »
