Frittata Muffins

These quinoa and egg frittata muffins are packed with protein and flavor – perfect for breakfast, lunch or snacking!

Since I’ve joined my gym’s 60 Day Come Back Challenge, I have noticed that I need quality, healthy go-to snacks waiting for me when I open that refrigerator door. I tend to grab a Greek yogurt if I need some protein, or a handful of grapes when I’m craving something sweet. I’ve basically trained myself to do this because if I didn’t I would start rummaging through the pantry for pretzels, crackers and then of course cheese to go with them. This doesn’t help matters when you are trying to reach goals you’ve set to lose weight and get fit for the past 10 months (and to try and win the challenge!).

Discipline and will power are always things to work on, and setting yourself up for success by prepping ahead and filling up your space with healthier choices is a good thing.

You all know how I feel about quinoa – I love the stuff. A couple of weeks ago, I found myself with some leftover quinoa and used it in this recipe for Frittata Muffins from the cookbook Simply Ancient Grains. These Frittata Muffins were exactly what I needed for quick after workout or late afternoon snack. In case you are wondering, you can even eat them cold!

How do you make frittata muffins?

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Grease a standard 12-cup muffin pan, preferably nonstick, with olive oil or coat with cooking spray.
2. Add the quinoa, peas, shredded cheese, green onions, herbs, and chile to a medium bowl and combine well with a fork (if your grains are pre-cooked make sure to separate any clumps). Divide the grain mixture equally among the muffin cups, about 1/3 cup for each, filling until almost full.
3. Add eggs to a large bowl and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. (If using previously cooked salted grains and greens only use 1/4 teaspoon salt). Whisk well, until foamy, about 30 seconds. Divide egg mixture into the cups using about 1/4 cup for each. Sprinkle each muffin with about 1/ teaspoon of the finely grated cheese and gently press in 1 olive (if using).
4. Bake until the frittata muffins have puffed up and turn light golden on top and golden brown around the edges, about 20-25 minutes. Transfer pan to wire racke and let cool for about 5 minutes. Using a knife or thin rubber spatula, carefully go around edges of each muffin to gently release from pan. Eat warm or at room temperature.

These Frittata Muffins turned out delicious and I can only imagine the possibilities of future combinations (Broccoli and Cheddar is next up!). The recipe is super versatile as it calls for any leftover grain you may have, paired up with vegetables and cheese. I find that I usually am left with a container of extra quinoa, farro or brown rice in my refrigerator almost weekly, so these Frittata Muffins would be great to make later in the week when you are working your way through what’s left in the fridge before your next trip to the grocery store.

Simply Ancient Grains

Over the last several years, I have been introduced to and experimented with even more ancient grains like quinoa. Cookbooks like Simply Ancient Grains and Ancient Grains For Modern Meals by my friend Maria Speck have really inspired me to go outside of the box and try grains in everyday recipes (this Summer Tabouli with Farro from her first cookbook has become a favorite!).

Simply Ancient Grains is Maria’s newest cook – it’s filled with valuable information on healthy ancient grains and how to work with them, not to mention beautiful recipes that will make your mouth water. If you are a grain lover, this is a book that needs to be added to your collection. In addition to recipes, the first part of the book is dedicated to explaining each grain, answering frequently asked questions, and a guide on how to prepare them (including tips like cooking ahead, reheating and freezing). If you are into baking with ancient grain flours there is a section devoted to that as well.

I have been intrigued with ancient grains for a long time, grains like amaranth, farro, spelt, freekeh, wheatberries. I haven’t tried every grain, but I am slowly working my way through my list (I made a salad with wheatberries just last week that I’ll be sharing this Thursday). Recipes like Maria’s Orange-Scented Amaranth Porridge with Apricots and Pine Nuts and Freekeh Soup with Spicy Harissa Shrimp and Dates are two on my list to try from Simply Ancient Grains. Others include Warm Wild Rice Salad with Herb-Roasted Mushrooms and Parmesan and Spring Salad with Asparagus Coins, Kamut and Lemon Vinaigrette (which happens to be the beautiful salad featured on the cover). I’m challenging myself to try new grains constantly, and break out of the box a little in my cooking by doing so. Simply Ancient Grains is truly a wonderful cookbook to get you out of your comfort zone and try something new and delicious.

To celebrate my love of grains, I’m excited to host a fun giveaway today that includes a copy of Simply Ancient Grains as well as a starter pack of grains provided by Bob’s Red Mill. One winner will recieve a copy of Simply Ancient Grains and full size packages of Bob’s Red Mill Tri-Color Quinoa, Buglur, Farro and Amaranth. See giveaway details after the recipe below!

In the meantime, try these Frittata Muffins with whatever you have on hand. I made the recipe very close to as written, but you’ll see that there are so many ways to make them your own. They are really the perfect snack or light dinner for busy afternoons and evenings, or even for breakfast on the go!

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Frittata Muffins

• Author: Aggies Kitchen
• Prep Time: 10
• Cook Time: 25
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: makes 12 muffins, serves 4-6 1x
• Category: Breakfast
• Method: Oven

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These quinoa and egg frittata muffins are packed with protein and flavor – perfect for breakfast, lunch or snacking!

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Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa, preferably black or red (I used tri-color quinoa)
• 2 cups fresh or frozen green peas (do not thaw)
• 3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded Grana Padano cheese, Parmesan or sharp Cheddar, plus 1/4 cup finely grated, for sprinkling
• 1/2 cup finely chopped green onions (about 3)
• 1/2 cup loosely packed finely chopped herbs, such as a mixture of mint and parsley or dill and mint
• 1 to 2 teaspoons minced serrano chile, veins and seeds removed for less heat (optional)
• 7 large eggs
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grounded black pepper
• 12 pitted salt-cured black Moroccan or green olives (optional)

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Instructions

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Grease a standard 12-cup muffin pan, preferably nonstick, with olive oil or coat with cooking spray.
2. Add the quinoa, peas, shredded cheese, green onions, herbs, and chile to a medium bowl and combine well with a fork (if your grains are pre-cooked make sure to separate any clumps). Divide the grain mixture equally among the muffin cups, about 1/3 cup for each, filling until almost full.
3. Add eggs to a large bowl and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. (If using previously cooked salted grains and greens only use 1/4 teaspoon salt). Whisk well, until foamy, about 30 seconds. Divide egg mixture into the cups using about 1/4 cup for each. Sprinkle each muffin with about 1/ teaspoon of the finely grated cheese and gently press in 1 olive (if using).
4. Bake until the frittata muffins have puffed up and turn light golden on top and golden brown around the edges, about 20-25 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack and let cool for about 5 minutes. Using a knife or thin rubber spatula, carefully go around edges of each muffin to gently release from pan. Eat warm or at room temperature.

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Notes

I made these with the ingredients I had on hand. I opted not to use the serrano chile or olives. I only had a small bit of fresh herbs so I added in a pinch of dried dill and parsley.

Giveaway:

One winner will receive a copy of Simply Ancient Grains and a package of each of the following from Bob’s Red Mill:  Tri-Color Quinoa, Bulgur, Farro, Amaranth

Giveaway starts Monday October 19 and ends Monday October 26. Winner will be chosen through Rafflecopter/Random.org. Winner will be contacted by me via email and will have 48 hours to reply before another winner will be selected. Sorry, but giveaway open to US addresses only.

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GOOD LUCK AND THANKS SO MUCH FOR ENTERING!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
(Disclosure: This book was provided to me for review. Thank you to the publishers of Simply Ancient Grains and Bob’s Red Mill for generously providing prizes.)

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