Name: Bites: Cheesy Quinoa
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 24 bites
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1/2 cups red quinoa (uncooked); 1 cup water; 1 tablespoon extra light olive oil; 1/2 medium red bell pepper (seeded and diced small); 1/2 large jalapeño (seeded and minced); 2 cloves garlic (minced); 2 green onions (minced (light green and dark green parts)); 1/4 cup cilantro; 2 whole eggs; 1 cup sharp cheddar (divided); 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour; 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

I have to confession.

I honestly ate all of these quinoa bites by myself. Okay with the exception of like 4 okay 5 tops. That’s 19 quinoa bites. My stomach can hold NINETEEN QUINOA BITES.

Like anything mini, I’m completely obsessed. Well that’s my excuse anyways. Besides being mini, they also have quinoa in them so that means they’re healthy and nutritious. Right? So I figure you can never have TOO much of healthy and nutritious… so I ate them like one eats popcorn. I simply threw them up into the air and caught them, no handed. Ohmygosh I’m completely kidding… orrrr am I?

Besides the quinoa, cheddar and jalapeno, cumin also plays a role in these good bites. Cumin rounds the whole thing out so that all of your senses get a little smoky-sweet-spicy-cheesy. Cheesy is so one of my senses… yours too right?

Start by rinsing a half cup of quinoa until the water runs clear. That will rinse off a bitter coating on the outside.

Throw that in a medium sized sauce pan, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the temperature to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes.

Once the quinoa has cooked, transfer it to a large bowl and set it off to the side.

Finely dice up 1/2 of a medium-sized red bell pepper, 1/2 of a large jalapeno {seeded and ribs removed for less heat if desired}, slice up 2 green onions, mince up 2 cloves of garlic and finely chop up a quarter cup of fresh cilantro.

In a small skillet pour in a tablespoon of extra light olive oil and sauté the peppers until simply tender.

Then throw in the minced garlic and cook for a minute or two.

Transfer the pepper-garlic mixture to a dish to cool.

To the quinoa; add two eggs, 3/4 cup of the grated white cheddar, cilantro, green onions and the pepper-garlic mixture.

Give it a speedy stir to combine all the ingredients and mix up the eggs.

Add in the flour, salt and pepper…

…and add in the 1/2 teaspoon of cumin.

Stir once more to combine and grab a mini muffin pan.

I lightly sprayed my muffin tin with my Misto that has olive oil in it. But you can use butter or any baking spray you prefer. Fill each of the muffin cups with a heaping tablespoon of the quinoa mixture.

I know what you’re thinking… these are missing something…

CHEESE! Top with the remaining quarter cup of grated cheddar {or more if you’re a glutton like me in the cheese department} and then bake the quinoa bites in a preheated 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes.

They’re deeply good they don’t need a dip, a sauce or anything fancy.

These are dependable finger food for any party. It doesn’t even matter that they’re vegetarian… no one will even notice.

In fact make a double batch… they’ll go fast!