Recipe: Blackberry Breakfast Sausages

Breakfast proteins can feel more limited than other mealtime protein pairings.  Blackberry breakfast sausages are a delicious way to add unique options to the morning menu!  Typical selections like bacon and pork sausage are high in saturated fat, not to mention other additives and preservatives.  We swapped in lean ground turkey for our blackberry breakfast sausages and added sage, thyme, and garlic to ensure the lower fat content wouldn’t mean less flavor.  The blackberries add a little pop of sweetness to contrast the savory.  And did we mention each patty provides 10 grams of protein?  Double the recipe and freeze half to make boosting your morning protein intake easy and tasty any day of the week!

Blackberry Breakfast Sausages

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 1 pound 93% ground turkey
• 3/4 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp ground sage
• 1 1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, or 3/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/3 C blackberries, halved or quartered (if large)
• olive or avocado oil, for cooking on the stove

Directions:

1. If baking in the oven, preheat to 400˚F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.  Otherwise, proceed with directions as follows for stove-top cooking.
2. To a large bowl, add the turkey, salt, sage, thyme, and garlic powder.  Use your hands to gently combine the mixture and shape it into 6 golf ball-sized pieces.  Gently press a few berry portions into each and flatten into patties.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat; add 1 teaspoon oil of your choice.
4. Place 3 sausage patties into the skillet, allowing at least an inch between them.  Place the lid on the pan and cook for 3 minutes.  Flip and cook for another 3 minutes.  The lid helps to trap steam to ensure the patties cook through, but it’s also beneficial to use an instant-read thermometer to ensure the patties reach 165° Fahrenheit.
   1. Alternatively, you can bake the patties in the oven for 16-18 minutes.
5. Remove the first 3 sausage patties from the skillet and place them on a plate.
6. Add another teaspoon of oil to the skillet and cook the remaining 3 sausage patties.
7. Serve warm or store leftovers in a covered container in the fridge for up to 4 days (or 3 months in the freezer).

Swaps:

• For the ground turkey: ground chicken or lean ground pork
• For the blackberries: blueberries

Recipe adapted from Blackberry Sage Breakfast Sausage