Homemade Maple Apple Chicken Breakfast Sausages

Breakfast Sausages are really easy to make and so much healthier than store-bought versions.  The flavor ... oh my, they're so incredibly delicious, better than any sausages I've had in restaurants.  

Make up a batch of these on the weekend for a special breakfast or to go along with pancakes or french toast.  Or better yet, make a couple batches of these on the weekend so you'll have a high protein meal or snack that you can quickly heat up during the week.    

Homemade Maple Apple Chicken Breakfast Sausages

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Equipment: Cutting Board, Knife, Microplane Grater (optional), Large Mixing Bowl, Large Plate (optional), Large Saucepan or Skillet

• 1 pound ground organic or pastured chicken
• Homemade Breakfast Sausage Seasoning 
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, peeled and finely minced or grated
• 2 tablespoons organic grade B maple syrup
• 1 medium sweet organic apple, peeled and finely diced

• 1-2 tablespoons pasture butter, ghee or fat of choice (See Resources)
• 2-4 tablespoons broth, bone broth or filtered water

1. Prep garlic and apple - peel and grate or finely mince garlic; peel and finely dice apple.  

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine ground chicken, breakfast sausage seasoning, grated garlic, maple syrup and diced apple.  Using clean hands, mix well to incorporate.

3. Shape into small patties - not too big, not too small, and place onto large plate (just until you're ready to cook them all).  

4. Get your large pan or skillet ready - melt fat of choice of medium heat.  Pan should preheat about 1-2 minutes before you cook the sausages.

5. Fry the patties in the preheated pan/skillet on each side until golden brown on both sides and completely cooked in the middle.  This will take about 12-15 minutes depending on the thickness of the sausages and the heat of your pan.  Tip: You do not want them to burn, so do not cook over high heat.  When I flip them halfway through the cooking process, I add broth to the pan (tablespoons at a time).  This helps them brown nicely so they do not stick or burn.  I also find that it keeps them moist, not dried out like many sausages can get if not cooked properly.  [Note: Do not crowd the patties, cook in batches if you need to.  They cook best if there is space between them.]         

Yield: About 4-5 servings {approx. 15+ small sausages}

Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.  Or freeze cooked sausages in freezer safe containers for later use.

Reheating Instructions: Reheat in the oven on a warming tray (I use a stoneware baking dish).  Make sure to keep the oven on a low setting (warm - 250 degrees F).  They don't take long to heat, about 5-10 minutes depending on the size of the sausage.

Recipe can easily be doubled.  

Amazon links are affiliate links, prices are the same for you.  Should you decide to purchase through my blog, thank you in advance and much gratitude for supporting Recipes to Nourish.

This post is part of Fat Tuesday @ Real Food Forager, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday @ Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free, Real Food Wednesday @ Kelly the Kitchen Kop, Healthy 2day Wednesdays @ day2dayjoys, Allergy-Free Wednesday @ The Tasty Alternative, and Pennywise Platter Thursday @ The Nourishing Gourmet. .  

Homemade Breakfast Sausage Seasoning

This blend of spices makes some of the yummiest breakfast sausages ever.  It's so simple to make, why not make your own?

Mix up a batch of this and keep it on hand for weekend breakfast sausages {or make up a batch of breakfast sausages on the weekend so you have already prepared sausages for breakfast during the week}.

Homemade Breakfast Sausage Seasoning

Equipment: Small Bowl, Measuring Spoons, Optional Spice/Coffee Grinder

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• 1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
• 1 teaspoon chili powder blend
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Option #1 {Rustic/My Preference}: Mix all ingredients in a small bowl.

Option #2 {Finely Ground/Powder}: Place all ingredients in a spice/coffee grinder and pulse until fine consistency.    

Yield: 1 serving per pound of ground meat

Storage: For longest shelf life, store in a glass airtight container.  

Note: I do not use garlic in the seasoning blend.  Instead I add fresh garlic to the sausage mixture.

Buy Spices in Bulk: I buy bulk spices here.    

Check out my Maple Apple Breakfast Sausage recipe here!

Amazon and Mountain Rose Herbs links are affiliate links, prices are the same for you.  Should you decide to purchase through my blog, thank you in advance and much gratitude for supporting Recipes to Nourish.

This post is part of Fat Tuesday @ Real Food Forager, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday @ Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free, Real Food Wednesday @ Kelly the Kitchen Kop, Healthy 2day Wednesdays @ day2dayjoys, Allergy-Free Wednesday @ The Tasty Alternative, and Pennywise Platter Thursday @ The Nourishing Gourmet. 

Grain-Free Carrot Cake Pancakes

My oven stopped working the night before Easter, so that meant the grain-free Carrot Cake that I had planned to make was not in the cards for us.  Little Love was SO looking forward to that Carrot Cake, so I had to come up with something else.  We decided to make pancakes instead, Carrot Cake Pancakes!  They were a huge hit. 

Enjoy!

Grain-Free Carrot Cake Pancakes

Advance preparation is required, the dates need to be soaked at least an hour (or soak them overnight, that’s what I do). 

Equipment: Small Bowl, Food Processor or Blender, Medium Size Mixing Bowl, Peeler, Standing Grater, Microplane Zester/Grater, Hand Mixer or Wisk, Large Skillet or Griddle, Flipper Spatula

Soaked Dates/Pureed Date Mixture

·      8 dates

·      Filtered water, enough to cover the dates

Carrot Cake Pancakes

·      4 pastured or organic eggs (See Resources)

·      1 medium size carrot, peeled and finely grated

·      ¼ teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and grated/minced

·      ¼ cup coconut flour

·      ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

·      ¼ teaspoon baking soda

·      1 tablespoons organic maple syrup grade B

·      ½ pureed date mixture

·      2 tablespoons date soak water

·      2 tablespoons ghee, coconut oil or pasture butter (See Resources)

Cream Cheese Topping

·      7 ounces homemade or organic cream cheese, room temperature

·      2 tablespoons organic maple syrup grade B

·      ½ pureed date mixture

·      2 tablespoons date soak water

·      ½ teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated/minced

1.    1 hour prior to making pancakes (or the night before, my preference), place dates in a small bowl and cover with filtered water, about ½ cup of filtered water or enough to completely cover the dates.  Place dates in the refrigerator until ready to use. 

2.   Break dates in half and remove pit.  Add date flesh to food processor fitted with “s-shape” metal blade.  Add a couple of tablespoons of the date soak water to the food processor.  SAVE the date soak water, set aside.  Pulse until dates become pureed.  Add more date soak water if necessary to combine.  Leave in the food processor and set aside (you will use the food processor again, so make sure to leave it as is and set aside).

3.   Start preheating skillet or griddle, melt ghee, coconut oil or pasture butter over medium-low heat.

4.   Pancake Batter: In a medium size mixing bowl add eggs, grated carrot, grated ginger, coconut flour, cinnamon, baking soda, maple syrup, ½ of the pureed date mixture, and 2 tablespoons date soak water.  Using a hand mixer, mix on low speed until all ingredients are combined.

5.    When skillet/griddle is ready, pour about 1/8 cup batter onto skillet/griddle.  Cook for about 2 minutes, flip and cook for another 2 minutes, repeat until all pancake batter is used. 

6.   Cream Cheese Topping: Using food processor with ½ of the pureed date mixture already in it, add cream cheese, maple syrup, 2 tablespoons date soak water and grated ginger.  Pulse until combined and smooth.  Set aside.

7.   To Assemble: Serve pancakes layered, top each pancake with a layer of Cream Cheese Topping, or to make dairy-free, serve pancakes with organic maple syrup grade B.  [Note: You can use a frosting bag or small reclosable plastic bag (cut a small opening in one corner of the bag to make the frosting tip), add topping into frosting bag, pipe topping onto pancakes.]

Yield: Makes about 11 small pancakes.

Storage: If you have extra pancakes leftover, the keep well in the refrigerator and can be reheated over low heat on the stovetop or on a warming temperature in the oven.  Cream Cheese Topping can be stored in the refrigerator for extra use too.  


This post is part of Pennywise Platter Thursday @ The Nourishing Gourmet, Simple Lives Thursday @ A Little Bit of Spain in Iowa, Full Plate Thursday @ Miz Helen's Country Cottage, Freaky Friday @ Real Food Freaks, Fresh Bites Friday @ Real Food Whole Health, Fight Back Friday @ Food Renegade, Monday Mania @ The Healthy Home Economist, Homestead Barn Hop @ The Prairie Homestead, Fat Tuesday @ Real Food Forager, Make Your Own! Monday link-up @ Nourishing Treasures, Traditional Tuesdays @ Cooking Traditional Foods, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday @ Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free, Whole Foods Wednesday Recipe Swap @ This Chick Cooks, Real Food Wednesday @ Kelly the Kitchen Kop, and Allergy-Free Wednesdays Blog Hop @ Gluten Free Pantry.

Soaked Oats Muesli – Fall/Winter Version

Winter is over, but I have been meaning to share this recipe for a while now.  It’s a little late, but winter fruits still seem to be available in the markets.

Muesli is a delicious, simple breakfast (or snack), it’s easy to make and takes minutes to put together, although it does take advance preparation the day before. 

Soaked Muesli – Winter Version

Skip the processed cereal and try this version instead.

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*** Note: 24 hours Advance Preparation Required ***

Equipment: Large Mason Jar (1 quart) or Glass Bowl w/ Lid, Large Fine Mesh Strainer, Large Bowl

·      2 cups gluten-free rolled oats (I use Bob’s Red Mill)

·      2 tablespoons chia seeds (I get my chia seeds here)

·      2 ½ cups warm filtered water

·      2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, unfiltered organic raw apple cider vinegar, whey, or kefir (my preference is lemon juice)

·      1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I prefer Sweet Cinnamon)

·      2-3 cups of chopped organic seasonal fruit: persimmon (peeled), apples, pears, kiwi, oranges, mandarins, tangerines, tangelos, banana (sliced), grapes, pomegranate arils, passion fruit, kumquats, cranberries

·      ½ cup shredded coconut (optional)

·      ½ cup soaked/”crispy” nuts or soaked and sprouted seeds (optional)

24 hours Before Making Muesli

1.    Place oats and chia seeds in a large Mason jar or glass bowl with lid.  Cover with 2 ½ cups warm filtered water (warmer than room temperature) and lemon juice/apple cider vinegar/whey/kefir.  Cover with lid.  Leave out on the counter, out of the sunlight, for 24 hours. 

Making the Muesli

1.    Strain soaked oats and chia seed mixture through fine mesh strainer. 

2.   Place oats and chia seed mixture in large bowl. 

3.   Prep fruit – chop or dice. 

4.   Add fruit to the soaked oats and chia seed mixture.  Gently stir to combine. 

5.    Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for later.  Top with optional toppings (see below).

Soaked Oats Muesli w/ Kiwi, Apple, Pear, Raw Honey and Raw Milk

Yield: About 6 servings.

Optional Toppings/Mix-Ins: Shredded Coconut, “Crispy” Nuts/Soaked Nuts, Soaked and Sprouted Seeds like sunflower, Raw Milk or Raw Cream, Coconut Milk, Dried Fruit, Raw Honey or Organic Maple Syrup Grade B.

Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator, keeps for several days.

Nursing Mom or Pregnant? This makes a great snack/meal, it’s simple to prepare and requires no cooking.  It’s full of protein and readily available nutrients (due to soaking the oats and chia seeds), it helps boost milk supply too.

Mountain Rose Herbs links are affiliate links, prices are the same for you.  Should you decide to purchase through my blog, thank you in advance and much gratitude for supporting Recipes to Nourish.


This post is part of Make Your Own Monday link-up @ Nourishing Treasures, Homestead Barn Hop @ The Prairie Homestead, Monday Mania @ The Healthy Home Economist, Weekend Gourmet Blog Carnival @ Hartke Is Online, Traditional Tuesdays @ Cooking Traditional Foods, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday @ Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free, Real Food Wednesday @ Kelly the Kitchen Kop, Allergy-Free Wednesdays @ Gluten Free Pantry, Hearth and Soul Blog Hop @ Premeditated Leftovers, These Chicks Cooked Recipe Swap @ This Chick Cooks, Simple Lives Thursday @ A Little Bit of Spain in Iowa, Pennywise Platter Thursday @ The Nourishing Gourmet, Full Plate Thursday @ Miz Helen's Country Kitchen, Freaky Friday @ Real Food Freaks, Wellness Weekend @ Diet, Dessert & Dogs, and Fresh Bites Friday @ Real Food Whole Health.

Baked Maple Bacon

BACON … you mention the word to most people and they swoon.  Sorry to my vegan friends, this one is not for you. 

I don’t make bacon often, but only because pork tends to be a harder meat to digest and Little Love has a harder time with it sometimes. 

But back to BACON, Little Love and I prefer very crispy, crunchy bacon; you know the kind that is so crispy it even melts in your mouth?  None of that flimsy stuff for us, no way (as Little Love would say)!  If you want that delicious, crispy, crunchy bacon, try baking it!  Baking is my preferred method of choice - I don’t care for stovetop bacon, sometimes it comes out crispy, but not completely crispy, and I NEVER use a microwave (I don’t own one, haven’t had one in many, many years, and I will never own one again.  They destroy your food and take all of the nutrients out of them, not to mention other stuff, but that’s another post).    

I only recommend consuming pasture-raised pork and if you don’t have access to pastured pork, at least buy organic pork (no antibiotics, no GMO feed, NO nitrates/nitrites).

Baked Maple Bacon

Crispy, crunchy, sweet and scrumptious! 

Equipment: Large Bar Pan or Large Baking Pan with at least 1-inch sides (I use Stoneware, it bakes everything perfectly), Non-Bleached Parchment Paper, Tongs, Basting Brush, Small Bowl, Large Plate, Paper Towels (optional)

·      10-12 slices gluten-free uncured organic or pastured bacon (See Resources)

·      2 tablespoons organic grade B maple syrup (optional)

1.    Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Prep large bar pan/baking pan, line with parchment paper (this is optional if you are using stoneware).  Pour maple syrup into a small bowl, set aside.

2.   Line the pieces of bacon up in one layer, it’s okay if they touch, they will shrink as they cook. 

3.   Place baking pan in oven, set timer for 10 minutes.  At 10 minutes, use the tongs to flip every piece of bacon.  PLEASE USE CAUTION, the bacon grease is very hot, use an oven mitt to protect your hand/arm.  Set timer for 10 minutes.  At this point open the oven again and brush maple syrup on each piece of bacon, again using extreme caution.  Close oven and set timer for another 5 minutes.  Bacon is done when it “looks” crispy and is dark red-brown.  Watch the bacon closely, all ovens cook differently, you don’t want the bacon to burn.  You should be able to tell at the 10-minute mark about how much longer you will need to cook the bacon.  If you’re not sure, just keep an eye on it.      

4.   Remove bacon from the oven, using tongs, place pieces of bacon on a plate or a plate lined with paper towels. 

5.    Serve immediately or store in refrigerator for later. 

Yield: 10-12 pieces.

Storage: If you actually have some leftover, you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for later use.  It’s still great the next day.  To reheat, place pieces on a baking dish (or parchment paper, ONLY if oven is on a low setting) in the oven on a low/warming setting, they will be warmed up in minutes.  


This post is part of Hearth and Soul Hop @ Premeditated Leftovers, Allergy-Free Wednesdays Blog Hop @ Gluten Free Pantry, Real Food Wednesday @ Kelly the Kitchen Kop, These Chicks Cooked Recipe Swap @ This Chick Cooks, Full Plate Thursday @ Miz Helen's Country Cottage, Monday Mania @ The Healthy Home Economist, Homestead Barn Hop @ The Prairie Homestead, Make Your Own! Monday link-up @ Nourishing Treasures. Fat Tuesday @ Real Food Forager, and Traditional Tuesdays @ Cooking Traditional Foods.

Pumpkin Pancakes w/ Ginger Honey Butter

These are my absolute favorite pancakes!  They are incredibly rich, scrumptious and always a crowd pleaser.  Their texture is great … fluffy (yes a fluffy gluten-free pancake, YAY!) with a slight crisp to the outside and a soft inside.  They are truly delectable.   

Pumpkin Pancakes with Ginger Honey Butter make a wonderful holiday breakfast.  They are perfect for company too because the pancake batter can be made a day ahead.  

Pumpkin Pancakes w/ Ginger Honey Butter

Make up a batch of these and store some in the refrigerator for leftovers (a quick snack or fast breakfast).

Equipment: 2 Medium-Size Mixing Bowls, Whisk, Pancake Griddle/Large Saucepan or Skillet, Turner Spatula

• 1 cup sprouted brown rice flour (See Resources)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon Celtic sea salt (See Resources)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg or ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 tablespoons pasture butter or ghee, melted
• 2 tablespoons honey 
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 3/4 cup organic milk or fresh raw milk
• 1/2 cup cultured sour cream [See Edit Note]
• 1 pastured egg or organic egg

1. Preheat griddle/saucepan/skillet over medium-low heat.  

2. Melt butter and honey, set aside.  [Note: I use a small ramekin/small oven-safe dish and melt the butter and honey in the oven.  I prefer this because I like to keep the pancakes warm in the oven while I make all of them, so this preheats the oven for me.  You can also melt the butter and honey on the stove-top.]  

2. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and clove.  Whisk/stir to combine.  [Note: I use a Microplane to grate the fresh nutmeg.]

3. In another mixing bowl, combine pumpkin puree, milk, sour cream [or extra pumpkin puree, See Edit Note] and melted butter and honey.  Whisk to combine.   Add cracked egg and and whisk to combine.  Batter is ready.  At this point you can store the batter in the refrigerator or begin making pancakes. 

4. Melt fat of choice on griddle or in saucepan/skillet, increase heat to medium.  Using a small ladle, scoop batter and drop onto griddle or saucepan/skillet (my small ladle is about 2 heaping tablespoons).  Cook until first side of pancake is "set" and golden brown "crust" has formed, about 3-4 minutes.  Flip with turner-spatula and cook for another 1-2 minutes, until golden brown.  [See Note Below]

5. Serve immediately, place in a warm oven to keep hot until all pancakes are made, or store in the refrigerator to eat later.  

6. Top with Ginger Honey Butter and organic maple syrup grade B.  I also love these topped with Elderberry & Rose Hip Syrup instead of maple syrup.       

Yield: Makes about 12-14 small pancakes.

Edit Note: I have started making these pancakes without the sour cream.  I replace the sour cream with extra pumpkin puree.  This makes the batter thicker and makes fluffier pancakes.  The pancakes are great either way, but I think I prefer them this way.  I figured this out by mistake when I was out of sour cream.


Note: The pancake batter can be made up the day before you want to make the pancakes and refrigerated until ready to use.  I find that the cold pancake batter cooks better as well.

Storage: Leftover pancakes keep well in the refrigerator.  Reheat in a skillet over medium-low heat or on a baking pan in the oven at a low-warming temperature.  

Vegan-Option: I used to make these all the time during my vegan years.  At that time I was still eating soy, so I used organic silken tofu as the egg replacer.  To make these vegan, use coconut oil instead of butter, use maple sugar or organic grade B maple syrup instead of honey, non-dairy milk like coconut milk instead of milk (make sure to use a thicker non-dairy milk like coconut or hemp), coconut yogurt or extra pumpkin puree instead of sour cream, and vegan egg replacer of choice like chia gel (if you eat soy/consume tofu, make sure to find a organic non-GMO soft tofu).

This post is part of Melt in Your Mouth Monday Blog Hop @ Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms,  Homestead Barn Hop @ The Prairie Homestead, Real Food 101 @ Ruth's Real Food, Fat Tuesday @ Real Food Forager, Make Your Own Monday Link-Up @ Nourishing Treasures, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday @ Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free, Hearth and Soul Hop @ Mom's Sunday Cafe, Gluten-Free Wednesdays @ The Gluten-Free Homemaker, What's Cooking Wednesday @ The King's Court IV, Real Food Wednesday @ Kelly the Kitchen Kop, Fresh Bites Friday @ Real Food Whole Health, Freaky Friday @ Real Food Freaks, Fight Back Friday @ Food Renegade, and What's Cooking Wednesday @ The Kings Court IV.