Food & Swine

Healthy Veggie Quinoa Frittatas

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This week I made a promise to a friend to make a couple of healthy recipes for the blog.  This happens to be one of the easiest I make and certainly one of my favorites! A while ago I stumbled upon a fabulous blog written by a sweet gal who lives in IOWA! She even judged the cinnamon roll contest at the Fair a couple of years ago! Kristin, who is Iowa Girl Eats, introduced me to the idea of adding quinoa to my normal veggie frittata cups. (I saw her Mini Ham and Cheese Quinoa Cups recipe post and learned this.)  Genius!  I’ve made a million varieties of this recipe in the last year.  They have saved my life when I need something fast (that doesn’t have a ton of fat, hello gallbladder issues) and I always have excess quinoa that I never know what to do with (besides the typical ‘salad’).  I like to eat these hot, at room temp or even cold out of the refrigerator.  I also love a couple of tablespoons of Anderson Erickson Chive Sour Cream Dip on top… I can’t explain the depth of my love for that stuff.  Seriously.  My kids eat these too, they especially love it when I throw a little bacon in the mix!

Pig Update: Oink’s babies and Cinnamon’s babies continue to thrive and they’re growing and becoming quite adorable.  As if they weren’t already!  We just moved Diamond (Yorkshire gilt) into the farrowing barn tonight.  She’s calm, happy and due next week with a litter by White Cloud at S.G.I.  As much as I’ve loved having those little red babies and the fun belted pigs too, I do love a little perfect white pig. It’ll be our first litter of Yorks since our orphaned litter. (They’re all doing well too!)

Back to the food!  Here are a few pictures of the process, recipe below.

Here’s mid-chop on the veg.  Remember to squeeze a little of the moisture out of the zucchini.  I love zucchini, great filler… not a lot of cals.  Yeehaw!

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Squeeze… somewhat gently darling.

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Star players from bottom to top then clockwise: cooked quinoa (underneath), chopped red pepper, grated carrot, grated zucchini, chopped scallions, chopped yellow pepper.

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Don’t forget the cheeses, eggs and seasonings!  Stir well. (Apparently I forgot to photograph the EGGS and SEASONINGS.  I swear I will get better at this food-blogging.  Sheesh!)

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Get a helper to help you scoop the mixture into greased muffin cups.

Quinoa Cups

Bake and serve.

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I love mine just like this…

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Healthy Egg Quinoa Frittatas *Makes 12 standard size muffin frittatas

Adapted from a recipe on www.iowagirleats.com

1 C cooked quinoa

1 bell pepper, chopped finely (I used 1/2 of a red pepper, 1/2 of a yellow pepper)

3 scallions chopped

2 medium carrots, grated

1 small zucchini, grated (pressed gently between a paper towel to absorb some of the excess juices)

3 T grated parmesan cheese

2/3 C shredded cheddar cheese

2 whole eggs

4 egg whites

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Stir to combine.  Liberally grease a 12 cup standard size muffin tin.  Fill cups evenly 3/4 full.  Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 25 minutes or until firm in centers and lightly golden.  Allow to cool for 5 minutes.  Remove carefully from muffin tins.  Serve warm, at room temperature or cool.  Serve with flavored sour cream if desired.

Customize:

Add more quinoa (up to 1 additional cup)

Add additional eggs (up to 4!)

Add ham, bacon, sausage etc.

Change the cheeses you use.

Switch up the veggies!

Enjoy!

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3 Comments

  • Reply Machelle May 14, 2014 at 3:44 am

    This is the BEST recipe! LOVE it!

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