Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a 9” x 13” large casserole dish with cooking spray.

Heat the avocado oil in a large thick-bottomed pot (such as a Dutch oven) or a large nonstick skillet (I recommend a 12-inch skillet with a deep lip) over medium-high heat.

Add the chopped onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Add in the fresh minced garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Transfer the raw breakfast sausage to the pot (or skillet) and use a spatula to break it into small pieces as the meat browns. Continue cooking and breaking the sausage into small pieces until the sausage is completely cooked through, about 5-8 minutes.

Transfer the chopped bell pepper, baby spinach, sea salt and pepper to the pot and stir well until the spinach has wilted. Stir in the all-purpose flour then remove from the heat to allow the sausage and vegetable mixture to cool. Once cooled slightly, transfer the sausage mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer.

Crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl and whisk well until the eggs are well beaten. Add the cottage cheese and half of the colby jack cheese to the large bowl and mix well.

Pour the creamy egg mixture into the casserole dish and use a fork or spoon to stir the egg and sausage and veggies together so that everything is fairly well distributed.

Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the eggs. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 25-35 minutes, or until the cheese is golden-brown and the eggs have set up completely. If you like crispy cheese on top, you can broil the casserole for 4-5 minutes or until it reaches your desired level of golden brown crisp. A great way of determining if egg bake recipes are fully cooked is to take their internal temperature. Insert a thermometer into the center of the egg bake, and if it is 160 degrees F (71C) or above, it is cooked through.

Allow the cottage cheese casserole to cool for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

If you’d like, serve with chopped green onions on top and/or sour cream, salsa, sliced avocado, or any other toppings you enjoy. Grated parmesan cheese is lovely here too!

​To store the casserole, wrap the baking dish in plastic wrap and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. If you have a small amount of leftover casserole, store it in an airtight container. You can freeze casserole recipes in freezer bags for up to 3 months.