Sunday, June 08, 2008

Mushroom, Spinach, Chipotle Egg Muffins

Mushroom, Spinach Chipotle Egg Muffins
Inspired by a recipe in South Beach Diet

Prep time: less than 10 minutes
Baking time: 30-35 minutes
Makes 12 regular muffins

Ingredients:
Olive oil, (just enough to lightly grease the pan)
10 oz/ 280 g fresh spinach (frozen is fine too)
1 cup cremini mushrooms, halved and thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1-2 tbsp chipotle chili in adobo
12 eggs (or egg substitutes to equal)
1½ -2 cups low fat grated cheese (this time I used a combo of low fat cheddar and "Italiano" blend already grated)


3 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (I like the ones preserved in oil)
2 green onions, white & green parts, thinly sliced
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro or flat leaf/Italian parsley
1 tsp fresh herbs (I used oregano & basil this time, but use your favorites)

Directions:
1. Steam spinach (I used the microwave - two batches at 2 minutes each), drain and chop.

2. Preheat the oven to 350° F/180°C and line 12 regular muffin cups (I have a six cup tray, so naturally, I used two) with paper cups or spray with olive oil or other cooking spray. Truthfully, the egg/cheese mixture sticks to the papers, so I recommend silicone muffin tins or spraying the papper liners before adding the mixture.

3. In a large bowl or food processor, whisk the eggs. If you are using a food processor, transfer the eggs to a large bowl. Add the herbs, sun-dried tomatoes and cheese

4. In a small non-stick skillet, sauté the mushrooms until golden and add the garlic and chipotle chilis. Toss and sauté until you can smell the garlic (less than a minute). Allow the mixture to cool slightly before adding to the egg mixture.

4. I find that if I fill the muffin papers to the top, it puffs up and overflows during baking, so place the muffin tins on a foil lined, rimmed baking sheet for easy clean up. Bake for 30 minutes for regular muffins, less if you’re making mini-muffins for snacks. (A knife should come out clean after poking the center of the muffins).

These can be frozen and reheated in the microwave. I heated mine for 5 minutes in a toaster oven at 400°F/200°C for a really great crispy coating.




They are great to have on hand for a terrific mid-morning snack.

No comments: