Holly’s Kitchen: Breakfast for Dinner = Brinner

January 20, 2025

In our house, breakfast is by far our favorite meal, so why not enjoy it more often? We call it Brinner or breakfast for dinner!

Holly Ellison RD, LD

Diabetes Care Center

These recipes are staples in our home. When served together you get a well-balanced meal that is veggie-filled, sweet and savory, healthy, satisfying and contains an adequate source of protein, carbohydrates, and fats. And I have it on good authority from my three children, that it tastes even better the next day as a reheat-and-eat meal (or snack).

The only things I love more than breakfast are gathering with my family and any food that can be made in the crockpot! These recipes can be prepped ahead of time and enjoyed right out of your crockpot! Perfect for breakfasts, weekends, entertaining, and brunches, too.

Crockpot French Toast

Ingredients

  • 6 large eggs
  • 2 cups milk of choice (we use full-fat dairy)
  • 2 tbsp pure maple syrup (We love to source and buy local, our favorite maple syrup, Wesley’s, comes from Elysian, MN)
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp ground cinnamon, divided
  • 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 6 cups bread cubes (We use gluten-free. Our favorite GF bread is made at Wooden Spoon on Riverfront Drive in Mankato.)
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar

For The Berry Sauce: My Grandma Marlene cans a wide variety of sauces every year and graciously keeps us stocked. Don’t fret if you don’t have a “Grandma Marlene,” there are plenty of store-bought jams. I recommend Chia Smash Blueberry Jam, The Jam Shoppe Blackberry Jam, or this simple recipe for a homemade berry sauce:

  • 1 lb. frozen berries of choice
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Mist the bottom and sides (about 3 inches up from the bottom) of the slow cooker with cooking spray or grease with butter.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, maple syrup, vanilla, 1 tbsp of cinnamon, nutmeg and pumpkin pie spice.
  3. Fold in the bread cubes and allow mixture to rest 5-10 minutes to soften. Sprinkle with sugar and the remaining 1 tbsp cinnamon.
  4. Slowly pour the mixture into slow cooker, cover with the lid, and cook on HIGH for 2 hours or on LOW for 4 hours or until cooked through.
  5. Serve with desired toppings, such as berry sauce, fresh berries, maple syrup, yogurt, powdered sugar, cinnamon-sugar, or whipped cream.

To Make the Berry Sauce:

  1. Place a medium saucepan with lid over medium heat. Add frozen berries and maple syrup to the saucepan. Stir and place lid on saucepan. Cook for 7-8 minutes.
  2. Remove lid from saucepan, stir berries. Adjust heat to maintain a steady simmer. Replace lid and cook another 7 minutes.
  3. Remove lid, mash berries with the back of a large spoon or potato masher. Cook an additional 15-20 minutes uncovered at a steady simmer until sauce starts to thicken.
  4. Remove sauce from heat, stir in vanilla and a pinch of salt. Allow sauce to cool before storing in a covered container in the fridge. Use within 1-2 weeks

Sweet Potato Casserole

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 tsp olive oil
  • 1 sweet potato, cubed (About 2 cups diced)
  • ½ lb. ground pork
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp Italian seasoning
  • ¼ tsp fennel, crushed 
  • ¼ tsp ground sage
  • ½ tsp fine salt 
  • Pinch of black pepper
  • Pinch of cayenne
  • ½ small red onion, diced or thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)
  • ½ bell pepper, diced or thinly sliced (about 2/3 cup)
  • 3 cups spinach leaves
  • 8 large eggs
  • Fine salt and pepper 
  • Avocado, sliced (optional, but not if you ask my 4-year-old)

Instructions

  1. Mist the bottom and sides (about 3 inches up from the bottom) of the slow cooker with cooking spray or grease with butter.
  2. In a medium sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add sweet potato. Dash with salt. Cover and let cook for about 10-12 minutes or until sweet potatoes are slightly tender. Stir occasionally.
  3. Meanwhile, in another sauté pan on medium-high heat add the ground pork and seasoning and cook until browned. Drain pork if needed.
  4. Add the peppers and onion to the tender sweet potatoes and continue sautéing for 3-4 minutes.
  5. Once peppers are soft and onions are translucent. Add spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes or until spinach is wilted, then stir in the cooked sausage and remove pan from heat.
  6. In a large bowl, crack the eggs, add a dash of salt and pepper, and whisk.
  7. Add the sweet potato and sausage mixture to slow cooker, then pour whisked eggs over the top. Make sure to submerge all the ingredients so that they are covered with the eggs.
  8. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours or until the center is set.
  9. Cut into 6-8 servings.
  10. Serve with sliced avocado, and/or drizzle of hot sauce if desired.

Tip: For faster clean-up, use slow-cooker liners

Recipes adapted from The Real Food Dietitians

https://therealfooddietitians.com/sweet-potato-breakfast-casserole/#tasty-recipes-9699

https://therealfooddietitians.com/crockpot-french-toast/#tasty-recipes-15767