Often up before the sun to get his workout in before heading to work as weatherman and co-host of TODAY, Al Roker knows the importance of a filling, energizing breakfast. And he shared with viewers one of his go-to morning meals — with a secret hack to pack in even more protein.
Al, 70, whipped up his favorite egg bite recipe at home in a step-by-step video tutorial he shared Jan. 23 on his personal Instagram account.
Known for his motivational messages and health tips as the Chief Motivation Officer for Start TODAY, Al told viewers that making a nutritious breakfast at home can be easy, affordable and delicious.
“I’m trying to eat protein in the morning and kind of stay away from carbs. I’ve experimenting with some, like, egg bites and I’ve been adding cottage cheese to my diet. So I thought, why not kind of combine the two?” Al explained at the start of his video.
Al kicked things off by placing about six eggs in a blender and then tossing in a cup of cottage cheese for extra protein. It’s a simple trick that TODAY contributor and registered dietitian Joy Bauer said doubles the protein in your egg-based breakfast. He then added a handful of cheddar cheese that he shredded himself at home to save money.
Next, Al added seasoning to taste. (Al used a “pinch” of actor Matthew McConaughey’s signature secret rub, a blend of several herbs and spices known only to McConaughey and his wife, Camila Alves McConaughey.)
“Give this a little blitz,” Al said as he blended his ingredients.
He was then ready to start assembling his bites by adding a scoop of ground sausage he’d already prepared to each space in a muffin baking pan.
He then layered shredded cheddar on top of the sausage and poured a good-sized dollop of his blended egg mixture over each mound. The final touch? “Just a little more cheddar on top,” said Al.
He baked the bites for about 25 minutes at 350 degrees. The result? A pan of golden, coffee-shop worthy egg bites. “Nice and puffy,” said Al, noting, “They’re going to deflate once they cool down.”
“But in the meantime,” said Al, proudly placing the pan of egg bites on his counter. “Not bad, huh? Let them cool off and that’s some good eating without spending money every morning.”
Al’s egg bites typically keep for a week in the refrigerator. “And you got yourself a nice little egg bite you can pop in the microwave, warm up and yummy, yummy,” he said.
Chef Al wrote in his caption, “How about saving some money and know what goes into what you’re eating by making your own #coffeeshop type #eggbites This is something I’ve been experimenting with. Try it and lemme know.”
Al Roker’s high-protein egg bite recipe
- About six eggs
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- A handful of shredded cheddar cheese
- Seasoning to taste
- Cooked ground sausage
Blend together the eggs, cottage cheese and shredded cheddar cheese in a blender. Layer the ground sausage in a muffin pan and top with shredded cheddar. Pour a hearty dollop of the blended egg mixture over each mound and add more shredded cheese on top. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15-20 minutes or until golden. Enjoy!