Recipe: Spinach Quinoa Mini Quiches

Having breakfast in the morning is a habit associated with better eating throughout the day. Eating calories in the morning gives you the opportunity to burn them off, unlike eating at night.

Science also supports the idea that eating protein in the morning helps you eat less over the course of the day. A recent study showed increased levels of a hormone associated with satiety in people who ate a breakfast with protein — as compared to people who ate a carbohydrate-heavy breakfast or nothing. What these study participants ate in the morning affected their entire day– even when they took home a cooler filled with salty and sweet snacks, the protein-eaters snacked less at night than anyone else.

Looking to get more protein in your breakfast? Eggs are the obvious choice, but a little quinoa won’t hurt either. Quinoa has about eight grams of protein per cup. It’s gluten free, too.

This recipe comes together really quickly and can be refrigerated and microwaved (or frozen and defrosted) for future breakfasts.

Spinach Quinoa Mini Quiches

Adapted from Iowa Girl Eats

Two cups of quinoa, cooked and cooled

1/2 medium onion, chopped finely

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 lb of spinach, cooked (steamed or sauteed and cooled)

1 cup of grated cheddar cheese

2 eggs

2 egg whites

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cook the onion with a teaspoon of olive oil in a sauce pan until its translucent. Add garlic, and cook until fragrant. Mix in spinach, and remove from heat.

Once cool, combine quinoa, spinach mixture, eggs, egg whites, cheese, salt and pepper. Spray a mini muffin tin with cooking spray and fill each cup to the top.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, and let cool in the pan for at least 5 minutes before removing.

Only have a full size muffin pan? Fill to the top with quinoa mixture and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

Enjoy!