One 9 by 13 inch pan, 10 eggs and a tub of cottage cheese, baked on Sunday, gives six breakfasts of roughly 20 grams of protein each at about 220 calories, or 29 grams and about 295 calories with turkey sausage folded in. Those figures come from USDA FoodData Central entries, worked through below, and they are estimates. The cottage cheese adds protein and moisture at the same time, so the bake stays soft after three days in the refrigerator instead of turning rubbery.

Why protein at breakfast during a training week

The International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand on protein and exercise, published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition in June 2017, puts the daily protein range it considers sufficient for most exercising people at 1.4 to 2.0 grams per kilogram of body weight, and describes a general per-meal target of about 0.25 grams per kilogram, or an absolute dose of 20 to 40 grams, spread evenly every 3 to 4 hours across the day. It is a literature review, not a trial, and its authors note that the ideal per-meal amount depends on age and on how recently a person has lifted. A breakfast in the 20 to 30 gram range is the kind of meal it describes, and this bake lands there without a protein powder.

Ingredients (6 servings)

10 large eggs. 1 1/2 cups low-fat (2 percent) cottage cheese. 1/4 cup 1 percent milk. 3 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped (about 3 ounces). 1 cup chopped red bell pepper (about 1 medium pepper). 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion. 1/2 cup shredded cheddar (about 2 ounces). 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder. Cooking spray or a teaspoon of oil for the pan. Optional: 8 ounces turkey sausage (12 ounces raw cooks down to about 8), browned and crumbled.

Broccoli, mushrooms or kale swap in for the pepper and spinach with little change to the numbers; a different cottage cheese changes the protein and fat lines.

Method

1. Heat the oven to 350 F and coat a 9 by 13 inch baking dish with cooking spray or oil.

2. If using sausage, brown it in a skillet over medium heat, breaking it up, until no pink remains and a thermometer reads 165 F, the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service minimum for ground poultry. Drain and set aside.

3. In the same skillet, cook the onion and bell pepper 4 to 5 minutes until softened. Add the spinach and stir 1 to 2 minutes until wilted. Cooking the vegetables before they go in drives off water that would otherwise pool in the bake.

4. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, cottage cheese, milk, salt, pepper and garlic powder until the curds are broken up and the mixture is uniform.

5. Spread the vegetables (and sausage) evenly in the dish, pour the egg mixture over them, and scatter the cheddar on top.

6. Bake 35 to 45 minutes, until the center is set and no longer wet when a knife is inserted. The FSIS safe minimum internal temperature chart lists 160 F for egg dishes and 165 F for casseroles; check the center with a food thermometer.

7. Cool 10 minutes in the pan, then cut into 6 rectangles (3 cuts one way, 2 the other).

Storage and reheating, per USDA FSIS

The FSIS leftovers page is specific: refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking, keep leftovers 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator or 3 to 4 months in the freezer, and reheat to 165 F as read on a food thermometer. Its egg storage chart says the same for casseroles made with eggs: 3 to 4 days refrigerated, and 2 to 3 months frozen after baking. FSIS also recommends cooling food fast in shallow containers, so portion the bake into six containers rather than refrigerating it whole in the pan, and cover each one.

A refrigerated portion reheats covered in the microwave in about 90 seconds to 2 minutes; FSIS advises covering, rotating, resting a moment, then checking the temperature in more than one spot. Frozen portions can go straight into the microwave or a 350 F oven without thawing (FSIS says this is safe, only slower), or thaw overnight in the refrigerator and use within 3 to 4 days.

Nutrition estimate per serving

These numbers were computed from the USDA FoodData Central entries linked in Sources, using the gram weights the database lists for each household measure (a large egg at 50 grams, a cup of 2 percent cottage cheese at 220 grams, a cup of chopped red pepper at 149 grams, a cup of raw spinach at 30 grams, shredded cheddar at 105 grams per cup). Spray oil and seasonings are not counted. Brands of cottage cheese, cheese and sausage differ, so treat the estimate as approximate.

Without sausage, the whole pan comes to about 1,320 calories, 118 grams protein, 42 grams carbohydrate and 75 grams fat. Per serving (one sixth): about 220 calories, 20 grams protein, 7 grams carbohydrate, 12 grams fat.

With 8 ounces of cooked turkey sausage, the pan comes to about 1,770 calories, 173 grams protein, 42 grams carbohydrate and 98 grams fat. Per serving: about 295 calories, 29 grams protein, 7 grams carbohydrate, 16 grams fat.

On a morning with a hard session, a slice of toast or a piece of fruit alongside adds the carbohydrate the bake does not carry. The pan, six containers and a food thermometer are the whole kit; the FSIS pages linked below have the full storage charts if your week runs past day four.

This article reports research and expert guidance. It is not medical advice. Talk to your clinician before changing medication, treatment or a medical diet.

Sources