I had this whole spiel ready about how real men do, in fact, eat quiche, as demonstrated by Ben who housed nearly a dozen Mini Ham and Cheese Quinoa Cups that resemble wee baby quiche for dinner last night, but then I remembered quiche has a crust and Mini Ham and Cheese Quinoa Cups do not, so in reality they’re more like mini frittatas and well, all was tragically lost.
These 2-bite delights combine whole eggs, egg whites, cooked quinoa, shredded zucchini, cheddar cheese, and diced ham in a perfectly poppable package that contains 3 grams of protein per mini cup, thanks to quinoa and lean ham in the mix. They’re low in calories too, at less than 50 calories a piece.
Did I mention they’re SO DANG CUTE?!
Watch How to Make Them!
Plus, they’re versatile. Like I said, my Mini Ham and Cheese Quinoa Cups contain fresh zucchini, ham and sharp cheddar cheese, because that’s what I had in the fridge, but I can think of a zillion different combos that would be equally as delish:
- Broccoli Cheddar
- Sun Dried Tomato & Pesto
- Mushroom & Swiss
Plus they can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or a snack. Is there anything Mini Ham & Cheese Quinoa Cups can’t do?
This easy, gluten-free recipe takes no time at all. Simply combine the ingredients in a bowl.
Mix.
Then add cooked quinoa and mix again.
Liberally spray a mini muffin tin or mini muffin baking pan with nonstick spray, fill the cups up with the mixture, then bake for 20 minutes or until the cups are golden brown around the outside.
Pop them out once cool enough to handle then try not to squeal. These delicious mini quinoa cups are almost too cute to eat.
Almost!
Like I said, you could eat mini quinoa cups for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner – hot or cold. They’re even freezer-friendly. Enjoy, enjoy!
More Mini Quinoa Cups You’ll Love
- Mini Pizza Quinoa Bites
- Mini Mushroom & Swiss Quinoa Cups
- Mini BLT Quinoa Cups
- Mini Egg Bites
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Mini Ham and Cheese Quinoa Cups
Description
Mini Ham and Cheese Quinoa Cups are the perfect, poppable, gluten-free breakfast or snack recipe. Easy, delicious and loved by kids and adults alike!
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked quinoa (about 3/4 cup uncooked)
- 2 eggs
- 2 egg whites
- 1 cup shredded zucchini
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup diced ham
- 1/4 cup loosely packed parsley, chopped
- 2 Tablespoons shredded or grated parmesan cheese
- 2 green onions, chopped
- salt & pepper
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix to combine. Liberally spray a mini muffin tin with non-stick spray and spoon mixture to the top of each cup. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the edges of the cups are golden brown. Let cool for at least 5 minutes before removing from the mini muffin tin.
- To freeze: Place baked cups on a baking sheet then freeze until solid and transfer to a freezer bag. Microwave for 20-40 seconds depending on how many you're reheating.
- For regular-sized muffin tins: Bake for 25-30 minutes (Note: I have not tested full-sized muffins myself, although several readers have left comments saying this works!)
Notes
Adapted from So Very Blessed
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
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E Dutton 07.14.2014
I’ve pinned this recipe because the whole family liked it but when I tried to come back from the pin your site was blocked and I got this message, “Sorry, we’ve blocked this link because it may lead to spam, nudity or other inappropriate stuff. Learn more.” Thought you should know.
Meg 07.12.2014
These are terrific! I just pulled them out of the oven. Thanks for giving me a perfect solution to my weekday breakfasts on the go! :)
Helen 06.26.2014
I’m wondering if it is possible to use fruit instead of veggies & Meat, I read somewhere that you can even cook the Quinoa in milk. so I thought I’d give that a try… hope it works well.
Tucker 06.25.2014
I just made these and couldn’t help myself from eating a couple fresh out of the oven. So delicious!! Thanks for a great recipe! I will definitely be making these again soon.
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Lois 06.02.2014
I am definetly going to try these. I have been looking for healthy yet quick breakfast ideas and these fit the bill since they can be frozen. What I love about these is you can pretty much use whatever you have on hand. Thanks!
Sammy 06.01.2014
I’m without a muffin tin of any kind :( Do you think this will work in a pie dish?
Kristin 06.03.2014
It could! Unfortunately I’ve never tried so I can’t say for sure. Let us know how it turns out!
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Kate 04.10.2014
I have been making different variations of these in a regular-sized muffin tin for the past few weeks. They are the perfect breakfast to take to work. Mixing up the ingredients means I haven’t gotten tired of them & helps me use what’s in my fridge. My most recent combo: ground turkey, sharp cheddar, roasted broccoli and caramelized onions. Yum!
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