If you read the “About My GD” page, then you know that I struggled during my first pregnancy to find breakfast items that fit my diet. After my son was born, when I could eat normally again and therefore relax and experiment a little, my husband and I went to work for the next go-round. First, I asked myself what proteins are typical breakfast foods. There’s bacon, ham, sausage. They’re all pretty high in fat, which is a huge turn-off for me, but I also wanted something to eat for breakfast other than eggs and beans. I decided no bacon because it’s pretty fatty and not very filling.
Ham. Why hadn’t I thought of ham during my GD? Pregnancy brain? Brain going haywire from the shock of having GD? Well, bring on the ham next time. Granted, it’s cured and not something I would recommend eating on a daily basis, but occassionally, to help add variety to your GD diet, sure. Also, you have to be careful that you’re not buying something with added sugars like honey.
Third idea: breakfast sausage. Sausage is pretty fatty, like bacon, if not worse. The other drawback, I realized as I looked through the premade sausage, is that it can have added sugars. That meant no sausage. I was becoming discouraged when that package of lowfat pork caught my eye. I can make my own sausage. So the experimenting began. Finally we (and by “we” I mean my husband) perfected diabetic-friendly, low-fat sausage!
What makes it diabetic friendly?
One, it’s low fat. Unfortunately, people who are diabetic are at a higher risk for heart disease. Choosing lowfat meats is a great way to help decrease that risk.
Two, it’s homemade. The only ingredients are the ones you add yourself. You don’t have to worry about brown sugar or maple syrup hidden away in this sausage.
Homemade Breakfast Sausage
Ingredients
- 1 lb lowfat ground pork
- 2 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp dried sage
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
Directions
Preheat oven to 425° F. Line baking sheet with foil and spray with a nonstick spray.
Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl. Shape into links or patties. Place formed sausage onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 11 minutes. Turn links or patties. Bake an additional 12 minutes. Flip links and patties again. Set broiler to high and broil for 2 minutes.
Variations
Do you love spicy food? Make this sausage spicy! Increase the black pepper to 1 1/2 tsp and add 1/2 tsp cayenne. Use more or less cayenne to match your spice tolerance.
Want to make a breakfast bowl or lowcarb burrito? Make this on the stovetop. Add a little oil to your pan and crumble the meat as you cook it.
Make it a meal
- Breakfast sandwich: Pork sausage patty (protein), egg (protein), cheese slice (protein/dairy), whole wheat bread (carb) Tip: to add more flavor and variety, try your sandwich with mustard or cream cheese or smashed avocado
- Bento style: Pork sausage links (protein), hardboiled egg (protein), quinoa (carb) cooked with veggies: bell pepper, spinach, tomatoes, garlic, onion, mushrooms
- Breakfast burrito: Pork sausage crumbled (protein), scrambled egg (protein), shredded cheese (protein/dairy), avocado, bell pepper, tomato, salsa wrapped in a whole wheat or whole grain tortilla (carb)
My GD 