Quinoa bites have been on our menu since my daughter mastered the art of eating. They are portable, delicious, and full of all the good things making them a great lunch or snack. Plus, they're easy to make and can be frozen — two things I love as a busy mama. I tried many recipes and tested several baking methods to get these little bites to hold their shape and easily come out of the pan and I am finally ready to share the best recipe possible. Because nothing sucks more than wasting your precious mom-time making a dud.
I am sharing the recipe complete with all of my tried and true methods. This includes spritzing the pan with a bit of oil before baking and using a silicone muffin pan. I purchased myself a Kitchen Spritzer from Pampered Chef so I can use my own oils instead of store-bought aerosols. You can lightly grease your pans with whatever you like, but definitely lube them up. Silicone muffin pans are also a necessity. I grabbed one of each from Bed, Bath & Beyond and use them all the time for portioning and freezing meals. When it comes to baking, I normally prefer my metal pans but when I tried baking my bites in them, it ended in a sticking disaster every. single. time. So then I started rolling my bites but I found that messy and more time consuming. Now enter, silicone baking pans. Life changing.
Choose a quality ham. I had been purchasing great deli ham from Dad's Organic Market but they are no longer offering deli counter meats. So instead I picked up a black forest ham and chopped it myself in my food processor with the slicing blade. Then I just had to do a finer chop with my knife. I bought a 600g chunk so I had enough to slice and freeze two additional portions for next time. When they're gone, I'll go one step further and try smoking a ham roast from Cool Springs Ranch now that I see how easy it is to slice on my own.
If you're looking for something quick to keep on hand for those busy days or to mixup school lunches, these are for you. And be warned, they are very delicious. If you make them mini, they are easy to just keep popping in your mouth!
DIRECTIONS:
Combine quinoa and broth in a medium sauce pan. Bring to a rolling boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until all the liquid has evaporated, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside to cool to room temperature. Meanwhile, place broccoli in a steaming basket over water. Bring to a boil, cover, and steam for 5 minutes. Remove broccoli from basket and cool to room temperature. Finely chop. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, lightly beat eggs. Season with ground pepper to taste. Add cooled, quinoa and stir to coat. Add chopped ham and broccoli and stir until combined. Add cheese and mix well. Lightly grease a silicone muffin pan (regular or mini) and place on a cookie sheet for support. Fill each cup with quinoa mixture, pressing down to firmly pack. Bake for 15-20 minutes for mini bites or 25-30 minutes for regular, or until golden brown on top. Carefully place muffin pan on wire rack and let cool 10 minutes. Turn pan upside down onto rack and gently squeeze each cup to release onto rack. Wipe clean and repeat with remaining mixture. Make ahead and freeze cooked bites on a large cookie sheet. Store in freezer bags for quick lunches. Just thaw and/or reheat to serve. Yield: 2+ dozen mini or 1+ dozen regular
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