Who needs McDonald’s?

One of my biggest weaknesses is McDonald’s breakfast. I especially love the Sausage McMuffin with egg. My biggest problem with them is the empty carbs and the fact that I am hungry again about an hour later. I did a little experimenting over the last couple weeks to find a lower carb, satisfying, and filling alternative.

Bread

The biggest change I made was the bread. English muffins and biscuits are high in simple carbs, which causes your blood sugar to go up and makes it so you don’t stay feeling full. I tried whole wheat english muffins and they just don’t taste right and were really heavy. The best thing I have found is Dave’s Killer Bread. My mom has been trying to get me to try this for years, and I finally did. There are several options, but my favorite is the thin sliced good seed bread.

This bread tastes great, especially toasted, it is filling, the perfect size for the breakfast sandwich, adds both protein and fiber, and is full of whole grains and seeds that leave you feeling fuller longer. I also tried Keto Bread, since it only has 2 net carbs and no sugar, but it tasted sour and, to me, did not go well with the sandwich at all. Since I am focusing not only on reducing carbs, but replacing simple carbs with complex ones, the Dave’s Killer Bread still works well for my goals, while also being the best tasting choice. Let’s face it, if it doesn’t taste good you won’t continue to use it.

Eggs

I love a good fried egg but, while you can improve that by frying it in extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil, It is still a buch of calories and extra fats. An alternative option that lets you keep your protein, while keeping your calories down, is baking the eggs with an egg substitute in the oven. I don’t do well with dairy, but haven’t really experimented with milk alternatives in my eggs yet. I have worked out a recipe that makes 6 servings of scrambled eggs per batch in the oven with no milk. If you substitute an egg substitute for half of the eggs you would reduce your calories by about 47 calories, per egg substituted, while still getting 5g of protein per egg replaced. It’s a win win.

Sausage

When it comes to sausage there are so many options available, like turkey, chicken, and pork. I have tried several brands of turkey sausage and have never liked any of them; I just can’t get over the texture. Chicken breakfast sausage is the closest I have found to pork sausage, unfortunately I have only found it in links which can be a little more difficult when making sandwiches. Good old pork sausage is still my favorite, and still a healthier choice than bacon. The frozen pork sausage patties at Aldi are by far my favorite as well as the best priced option. They taste just like McDonald’s and are super convenient since you can cook them individually in the microwave while the bread toasts.

Cheese

While most breakfast sandwiches use simple american cheese, I wanted an option that is lower in carbs and higher in protein. My family’s favorite cheese is colby jack due to its light and mild flavor. Colby jack is not only higher in protein and lower in carbs, but it also has less sodium, more calcium, and provides other vitamins not found in american cheese. A Glass and a Half Full Productions did a great side-by-side comparison of these two cheese options. When placing the cheese on the sandwich, place it in between the hot egg and sausage to help it melt/soften.

All put together a sausage, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich on Dave’s killer Bread can be a great start to your day. It has plenty of protein, fiber, and complex carbs to keep you feeling full longer, and only takes a few minutes to make. On the days I eat this for breakfast I am not tempted to even have a snack before lunch. Sometimes I even eat lunch late because I am just not hungry. It is a delicious and satisfying breakfast that only takes about 5 minutes to prepare, which makes it great for busy mornings like ours. When compared with a McDonald’s Sausage Mcmuffin with Egg, this comes in with lower calories, about equal on fat, and higher protein and fiber to slow glucose absorption.