Keto Breakfast Casserole

January 2022. The early-January quiet of an offseason that knows what it's for. I've been in this building long enough that the rhythms feel native now — the weight room volume in January, the spring ball in March, the dead period in June, camp in August. I used to adapt to new program rhythms. Now I am the rhythm. That distinction is the measure of belonging somewhere.

I hired a new wide receivers coach this week — a former college player named Marcus Reid, twenty-six years old, intense and precise, who catches everything in the air when he demonstrates routes and makes it look like it costs him nothing. He's the kind of hire that makes the offensive side of the staff sharper immediately. I told him: "I'm going to trust you with the room. The room will trust you with their careers. Don't waste either." He nodded and went to work the same afternoon.

Sofia was selected for the Colorado Junior Elite Running Program's spring series. She competed in her first sanctioned race against girls her age from across the state and came in second. Second. Twelve years old, second in the state, finishing in a kick that the results website described as "strong close." I read that phrase three times. Strong close. For a runner that's a character description, not just a result. She called me from the car with Lisa and said, "I got second, Dad." I said, "Did you leave everything out there?" She said yes. I said, "Then you got first in what counts." She was quiet for a second and then she said, "That's kind of a cheesy thing to say, Dad." She was right. She was also pleased. Both things were true simultaneously.

January in this building runs on intention — every rep, every hire, every conversation has a purpose — and the mornings have to match that. When Sofia called from the car to tell me she’d finished second in the state, I was already two hours into my day, and I’d eaten well enough to be sharp for it. That’s not an accident. This Keto Breakfast Casserole is what early January looks like on my plate: high protein, no noise, made on Sunday so the week doesn’t have to think about it.

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 40 minutes | Total Time: 55 minutes | Servings: 8

Ingredients

1 lb ground breakfast sausage
8 large eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/3 cup diced white onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Cooking spray or butter for greasing

Instructions

Preheat and prep. Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter and set aside.
Brown the sausage. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground sausage, breaking it up as it cooks, until browned and cooked through, about 6–8 minutes. Drain excess grease.
Saute the vegetables. Add the diced bell peppers, onion, and garlic to the skillet with the sausage. Cook over medium heat for 3–4 minutes until softened. Remove from heat.
Mix the egg base. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes until fully combined.
Assemble the casserole. Spread the sausage and vegetable mixture evenly across the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle 1 cup of the shredded cheddar over the top. Pour the egg mixture evenly over everything.
Top with cheese. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese over the top of the casserole.
Bake. Place in the preheated oven and bake uncovered for 35–40 minutes, until the center is set and the top is golden and slightly puffed. A knife inserted in the center should come out clean.
Rest and slice. Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before cutting into 8 squares. Serve warm, or refrigerate and reheat portions throughout the week.

Nutrition (per serving)

Keto Breakfast Casserole — Fueling the January That Means Business