I know everyone is psyched for pumpkin everything, but I am still sitting here wondering how on earth we are on the downhill slide to 2018. It's almost October, people. OC-TO-BER! How? Not that I am not excited for a whole new season of recipes and cozy meals. Plus, my USC Trojans are 3-0 so I am ready to enjoy the rest of football season. You guys went bananas over my other quinoa breakfast cups recipe, so I thought I would give you guys another, equally mouthwatering, version - spinach, bacon, leek.

This has to be one of my favorite Fall flavor combinations. There is something so comforting and warming about crisp smoky bacon paired with the light leek flavor. I sauté the leeks in the bacon grease to really up the flavor.

Quinoa Breakfast Cups - Spinach, Bacon, Leek from A Thousand Crumbs (3 of 6)

These quinoa breakfast cups are extremely freezer-friendly, just like my other breakfast cups recipe. I love having them on hand for busy mornings, because I can pull out a couple and have breakfast on the go. I also keep a few in the freezer at work for an easy and filling snack during the day. You can also easily double the batch if you're cooking for a family. Simply microwave them for 30-60 seconds (depending on how many you’re making) to heat through. Cups pulled from the refrigerator will need less time to reheat.

What are some of your favorite Fall flavor combinations? Looking forward to sharing more with you guys soon! Coming on Wednesday is one of my favorite snacks EVER, so get excited!

Quinoa Breakfast Cups - Spinach, Bacon, and Leek

Author: Amanda Prince
Total Time: 45-50 Minutes
Yield: 12 Muffins 1x

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Description

Quinoa breakfast cups are a healthy breakfast for busy mornings. These are full of spinach, bacon, and leeks – a great combination to fuel your day.

Ingredients

Scale

2 Cups cooked quinoa (about ¾ cup uncooked)
4 eggs
1 cup frozen, thawed and drained spinach *SEE NOTES
3 Tbsp parmesan cheese
1 cup leek, chopped, white and light green part only
4 slices, approximately 4 oz, bacon
salt and pepper to taste

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Instructions

Prepare the quinoa according to package directions, and then transfer to a large bowl to cool.
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees and liberally oil a standard muffin tin. Set aside.
Whisk the four eggs in a small bowl, set aside.
In a medium-sized skillet, fry the bacon over medium heat, turning often, until crispy, but not burned. Remove bacon and allow to drain on a plate lined with paper towel. Reserve bacon grease.
Add the chopped leeks to the bacon grease, and cook until crisp-tender, and slightly wilted, approximately 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Crumble the bacon and add to the cooled bowl of quinoa.
Add the spinach, beaten eggs, leeks (with the bacon grease), parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Mix to combine.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared muffin tin, filling each well equally. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the edges of the muffins are golden brown.
Allow the quinoa cups to cool in the tin for at least 5 minutes before removing them.

Notes

To freeze: place completely cooled cups in a large gallon Ziplock bag.
To reheat: microwave the cups for 30-60 seconds depending on how many you're making. Cups from the refrigerator will need less time to reheat.
To prepare thawed spinach, it is important to remove as much moisture as possible. To do this, use cheese cloth (or similar) to wring and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. The spinach should be very dry and crumbly when you're done. You want a cup of this dry and crumbly spinach.

Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 25-30 Minutes
Category: Breakfast, Snacks
Method: Oven