Mini Bacon and Cheese Quinoa Cups

I was looking for a quick and nutritious lunch that the Little Prince would eat, and these quinoa cups fit the bill perfectly! I had 2 ounces of bacon left in the fridge, so I used that instead of ham. I also used a bit more zucchini and cheddar than called for, so I added an egg and made a bigger batch – I ended up with 24 mini cups and 5 muffin-sized cups that I baked longer. I loved the result and the Little Prince ate it with gusto most of the time. These would be highly adaptable and I’m thinking of using this recipe as a blueprint for turning leftovers into lunch. Note that these freeze well, too.

2 cups cooked quinoa (about ¾ cup uncooked)
2 eggs
2 egg whites
1 cup zucchini, shredded
1 cup shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
½ cup diced ham (I used 2 oz. bacon)
¼ cup parsley, chopped
2 Tbsp. parmesan cheese
2 green onions, sliced
salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 350 °F. Liberally spray a mini muffin tin with non-stick spray.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix to combine. Spoon mixture to the prepared tin. 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. (If using a regular muffin tin, bake for 25-30 minutes.)