Make-Ahead and Freeze Healthy Breakfast Sandwich

The Live Well Network week was AWESOME! Rocky start with some tears leaving Tess but turned out to be one of the most crazy yet amazing weeks of my life! The show will air in late Nov/Dec and you’ll have to watch to see who wins (unless we’re friends and I’ve already told you) I’ll let you know about the air date. Now.. onto something food-related.

A year or two ago, I wanted to make and freeze breakfast sandwiches for my husband, and I realized it was difficult to find a recipe. So I made my own and posted it here—and it remains, by far, my most popular post. Since then I’ve been itching to make a “me” version—one with more veggies, less meat, and more whole grains— but above all else, I wanted to avoid sogginess, so I did my research.

Full fat cheese melts the best, and a slice of Swiss has a whopping 8 grams of protein. By drying out the English muffins in a low-heat oven, I cut down on the bread’s natural moisture. I squeezed the bejeezus out of the frozen spinach and cooked down my mushrooms until totally dehydrated. Finally, I realized I needed to figure out the best method of reheating – rubbery eggs and soggy bread are so not appetizing.

Trying something different every day, I finally figured it out. 30 seconds in the microwave (still wrapped in the paper towel) will make the sandwich soft enough to pull off the muffin slices and throw them in the toaster. Next, microwave the egg/cheese/veggies for 2 minutes on 80% power. Perfection. You can probably do 1 minute and 30 seconds on full power with similar results. Long story short, I L-O-V-E the end result. It’s everything you need, all in one perfectly wrapped, warm, melt-y, flavorful sandwich. They’re so tasty that I reheat them for breakfast, even when I have the time to make something else. I eat them for mid afternoon snacks or sometimes I’ll eat two if my husband’s not around for dinner.

Another option is to make a batch and bring them to a new mom – I only had four left but I brought them to my cousin Katie and she had nothing but rave reviews!

Here is the video for how-to! 

Make-Ahead-and-Freeze Egg and Cheese Breakfast Sandwiches
Makes 12 sandwiches

12 light whole-wheat English muffins
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. button mushrooms, chopped
¾ tsp. kosher salt
¼ tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1 lb. frozen spinach, thawed in microwave and squeezed completely dry
12 eggs, beaten with fork
12 slices (thinly sliced) Swiss cheese
Equipment needed: paper towels, plastic wrap

Method 
1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees and place English muffins cut side up on cooling rack. Place in oven when preheated and toast for 15-20 minutes or until toasted and dry.

2. Heat olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is released and then cooked off (the pan should be mostly dry).

3. Add dry spinach to mushrooms in pan  and mix with hands to combine. Add salt, pepper and garlic powder and stir to combine. Remove veggie mixture to a mixing bowl and wipe the pan clean with paper towel.

5. Spray wiped-out skillet with nonstick spray and reduce heat to medium-low.

6. Add beaten eggs to skillet and gently scramble with rubber spatula, letting the eggs fill the pan at all times (don’t scrape the eggs into a pile). Almost like you’re making a frittata, if familiar.

7. Sprinkle eggs with kosher salt, to taste (about 1/4 tsp.). Once eggs are mostly cooked and evenly filling the pan, sprinkle vegetable mixture across the surface of the eggs and press into eggs with spatula.

8. Remove from heat and cover skillet with lid or a sheet of aluminum foil.

9. Meanwhile, spread toasted English muffins across a counter workspace.

10. Scoop egg mixture in even portions, trying to keep the veggies on top. Place on bottom of English muffin.

 

11. Place cheese on top of egg and cover with English muffin top.

12. Wrap each sandwich in a square of paper towel and then wrap in plastic wrap.

13. Freeze sandwiches. Will keep for one to two months.

TO REHEAT: Remove plastic and microwave for 30 seconds. Remove the english muffin slices and place in toaster. Microwave the egg/cheese/veggie, cheese side up, for 1 minute. Re-assemble sandwich and enjoy.

Per sandwich: 276 calories, 14.5 fat grams (including 7 grams saturated fat), 189 milligrams cholesterol, 537 milligrams, 29.7 grams carbs, 3.2 grams dietary fiber, 3.5 grams sugar, 20.4 grams protein