Breakfast Casserole and Sacrifice

If you are looking for a good vegetarian breakfast casserole, try this one. I served it to my running group on Sunday and it was quite well received:

1 box Morningstar Farms veggie breakfast patties (not the maple ones)

8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup milk

5 eggs

1 package (6 oz) yellow cornbread mix

1 T. hot sauce (we use Gator Sauce which is less hot, so we use a bit more sauce)

1/8 t. ground cayenne pepper

1/4 t. ground mustard

salt & pepper as desired

1. Preheat oven to 350, coat 10" glass pie plate with cooking spray, set aside

2. Heat breakfast patties according to package directions. Remove, chop up, and place in pie pan. Season with salt and pepper if desired.

3. Sprinkle grated cheese evenly over sausage.

4. Combine corn bread mix, eggs, milk, hot sauce, mustard, and cayenne pepper in large mixing bowl, mixing until smooth (use a whisk or mixer).

5. Pour cornbread mixture over sausage and cheese.

6. Place in preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes or until top is golden brown.
7. Let rest 10 minutes, slice and serve.

This? Is yum. You know what else is yum? This meat-free "Smart BBQ" that I found at Kroger. Now, I got a bit of a lecture the other day from my mostly-vegetarian friend Michelle about avoiding meat substitues and processed foods and all, and how healthy and nutritious vegetables are, so let me go on record now as saying "I'm not really a vegetarian." The title of my blog actually gives it away. Giving up meat one month a year is not the same as "becoming a vegetarian" for a month. The truth is, I like meat. I enjoy meat. I'm not doing this for health reasons or moral reasons or religious reasons or social reasons - although I genuinely appreciate all the positive impacts of giving up meat for a month. I'm doing this simply because I love my brother and feel this is a fun and unique way to connect with him. It's an actual sacrifice, but it's a sacrifice born of love.

Is it really such a sacrifice to give up meat one month per year (actually, two months in 2011)? Yes, it is. My whole thought process around meal planning has to change significantly. To keep my meals interesting (and my husband from complaining - too much), I have to experiment and try new things. Some new discoveries I really like (such as Quinoa Stuffed Peppers - delish!) and some I don't (Bean/Veggie Burgers, entirely disappointing), but there is something mentally exhausting about the process. It's not much different than when I joined Weight Watchers 7 years ago and had to relearn how to eat, but I don't have to go through that learning curve and re-invent my diet once a year. Unless I'm giving up meat for the month in which case a total renovation is required.

I know what Michelle is going to say: "Then don't go back to meat! Stop reinventing your diet!" This is because Michelle is a vegetarian mole and I'd like to know how my brother was able to contact her and plant her in my group.