It’s Monday, Monday… so it’s time to start thinking of the weekend gatherings with friends. Oh but wait, it’s also April, April… so isn’t it time to start thinking of the summer, and fitting into my bathing suit as well? Let’s forget about saucisson for now -but not for too long, it would be too sad- and combine weekend plans with summer planning. These bites come in handy when you don’t want to be too boring but still want to eat light.
Quinoa is the magic word that people bring up when they want to talk about healthy food, and they’re right. Protein-packed and healthy, for sure. Add to this a mix of vegetables (and a bit of cheese, because life just doesn’t make sense without it) and you’re all set for a great appetizer to share with friends.
And since it’s Monday and you need to stay awake behind your computer, there you go.
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Vegetable quinoa bites
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 15-20 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 cups cooked quinoa (about 1 and 1/2 cup uncooked)
- 1 carrot
- 1 and 1/2 cup fresh spinach
- 1 green onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 eggs
- 2 tbsp flour
- 2 oz grated cheese (I used Swiss cheese)
- 2 tbsp grated parmesan
- salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
1. Rinse quinoa thoroughly. Cook per package instructions.
2. While quinoa cooks, preheat oven to 350°F. Roughly chop carrot and onion, and mix carrot, onion, spinach and garlic in a food processor.
3. In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients until combined. Place one scoop of the mixture in a mini-muffin pan, pressing to the bottom to make sure it holds up. Bake for 15-20 minutes.
Simple yogurt dip
Prep time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
- 5 oz Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Enjoy.
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My tips:
- I used a regular muffin pan because I didn’t have a mini one: just scoop one tablespoon to the side of each cup, it will work fine.
- Do rinse the quinoa before cooking, otherwise it will be bitter.
- Store the bites and the dip in the fridge for several days. Pop the bites in the oven for 5 minutes right before serving.
Source: slightly adapted from The Curvy Carrot
