It’s Brinner, Baby: Vegetarian Edition

Who doesn’t love brinner? (That’s breakfast-for-dinner.) It’s brilliant, easy, and every mouth smiles at the mention of it. So I thought I would bring you a vegetarian option that is super easy and healthy, too. I incorporated turnips and sweet potatoes; I love all the root vegetables!

If you have not tried turnips before, let me give you a quick lesson. Turnips pack a nutritious punch while being pretty low in calories. They are also chuck-full of vitamin C, antioxidants, and fiber. You will find them in the fresh produce section of your market, usually by the leeks and onions. They are white on bottom and purple on top and sometimes have little green leaves coming out of the top, similar to a carrot. (Side note: if you have ever eaten turnip greens, this is where they come from.) They can have a sweet, fresh flavor when they are small, or be more bitter when they are large. I try to pick the smallest ones I can find. They are sort of earthy tasting, too, but mixed with sweet potatoes, garlic, onions, and butter they are light and delicious.

My family absolutely loved this dish and it will definitely make the rounds in my meal planning. Best thing about this recipe is that except for the turnips, I already have all of the ingredients on hand every day. If you don’t like turnips or don’t have them, just leave them out! You can replace them with a white potato or two in the recipe. I didn’t peel the potatoes; I usually don’t because when you shred them you can’t tell whether they are peeled. I did peel the turnips, however.

Vegetarian Brinner

Ingredients:

• 3 sweet potatoes, grated
• 2 russet potatoes, grated
• 1-2 small turnips, peeled and grated
• 4-5 green onions, chopped
• 1 ¼ c Greek yogurt
• 1 ¼ c Gruyère cheese, shredded
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 2 TBSP flour
• 2 TBSP butter, melted
• Salt and pepper (to taste)
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 8 eggs

Ingredients for salad:

• Baby spinach
• Cherry tomatoes
• Red onion
• Carrots
• Cucumbers
• Dressing of choice

Instructions:

Pre-heat oven to 400F degrees. After grating all the root vegetables, toss them in the flour to coat evenly. Add the onions, yogurt, garlic, butter, salt, pepper nutmeg, and shredded cheese. Spray a casserole dish (I used my small rectangle baker) with cooking spray, and spread the vegetable mixture evenly. Bake for about 30 minutes or until vegetables are cooked tender, and the edges are brown and bubbly. Remove pan from oven and use a wooden spoon to make eight little dents for the eggs. Carefully crack the eggs into each dent. Place back in the oven until the eggs are cooked to your liking, 3-5 minutes. I accidentally overcooked my eggs, so watch carefully if you want them a little runny. Serve with sour cream, hot sauce, or both, and a side salad.

What is your favorite brinner recipe? Let me know in the comments!