Fluffy Lemon Herbed Quinoa Ingredients:

• 1 package (12 ounces) chicken-apple breakfast sausage (or regular-size), sliced into small ½-inch pieces
• 1 apple, cored and thinly sliced*
• 1 yellow or Vidalia onion, thinly sliced (~1 heaping cup)
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 5 large eggs
• 5 large egg whites
• ¼ teaspoon dried ground mustard
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ cup low-fat milk
• 2 to 3 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves (or ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves)
• ½ to 1 cup extra sharp or sharp cheddar, grated or shredded

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.

2. Liberally coat a large 10-inch (oven-safe) nonstick skillet with oil spray (or add a few teaspoons of oil to the pan) and warm over medium heat. Add the sliced sausage and sauté until golden brown all over, about 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove the sausage and set aside.
3. In the same skillet, add the apple and onion. Mist with additional oil spray (or drizzle on a bit more oil) and sauté over medium heat for about 4 minutes until the onions and apples become soft and slightly caramelized, but still hold their shape. Season with freshly ground pepper.
4. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, whisk the whole eggs, egg whites, milk, dried mustard, salt, pepper to taste, and fresh (or dried) thyme until well combined and slightly frothy.
5. Add the sausage back into the skillet with the apple-onion mixture. Using a rubber spatula, mix just to combine and gently flatten to make sure there is one layer with everything evenly distributed on the bottom of the skillet. Gently pour the egg mixture over the sausage, apples, and onions. Top with grated sharp cheddar cheese.
6. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 15 to 17 minutes. (The cooking time will vary if the cooking vessel is bigger or smaller, but it puffs nicely so that’s a great way to detect doneness. It will deflate pretty quickly once removed from the oven.) The frittata should be completely puffed, slightly golden, with no liquid remaining. For a crispier and lightly-browned cheese crust, finish under the broiler for 1 minute. Serve immediately.