Veggie & Egg Muffins - updated!!!!

I made this recipe up as a Zone Perfect meal when my husband and I were strict Paleo diet and eating in carefully measured Zone portions.  This version is not as carefully measure with carb/protein ratios, but still pretty close!

The most awesome thing about this recipe is how good these actually are!  The next best thing is what a fantastic use of leftover veggies it makes!  I have put practically everything in these...asparagus, zucchini, mushrooms, everything.  Actually, when I was making them today, I had leftover sauteed mushrooms and onions from the burger bar we had over the weekend, and even some roasted sweet potato fries, so they are in this recipe!  My husband usually eats 2 of these for breakfast and I only grab 1, but they are fantasma to have ready to just pop in the microwave, put a 1 min. hit on and run!  

Veggie & Egg White Muffins

1 red bell pepper - roughly chopped

1-2 sweet potatoes, peeled, roughly chopped

1/2 sweet onion, roughly chopped

2 pints of organic egg whites

non-stick jumbo muffin pans

olive oil cooking spray

(turmeric & cayenne - optional)

There are TONS of variations, I will list some of our favorites at the end!

All you need for 1 dozen jumbo muffins, minus the olive oil cooking spray!

Preheat the oven to 375F.  Add all the veggies to your saute pan and then drizzle about a 1-2 count of olive oil on top of them (this method helps to retain the good stuff in the oil rather than it burning off during the cooking process!).
I added a generous sprinkle of turmeric and a little pepper to mine!

Saute them at high heat until they begin to put off steam, then turn them down to medium and allow them to cook, tossing them around, until the sweet potatoes begin to soften. About 5 minutes.

Spray the non-stick pan(s) with olive oil spray.

I use a 1/3 cup scoop to spoon the veggies into the pans.

Fill the muffin cups the rest of the way with egg white - you should use exactly all of the 2 pints!
I spooned a tablespoon of fresh salsa on top of a couple of these for my main man!
(This took me 12 minutes from start to in the oven)

Bake  for 30 minutes or until they are golden around the edges and risen up!
Hint: Salsa makes them take a couple minutes longer

Let them cool in the pan for about 20 minutes, then dump them right into a resealable container!
(You can see they popped right out with me just turning the pans over, no stickage at all!) DONE! *You can also use 1 whole egg cracked over the filling, then fill the rest of the way white whites!

The trick is to put the heavy stuff, or the veggies/sausage, etc. in the pan first, then fill with egg whites!


Variations we like:
Sausage, cooked &drained
Ham
Turkey
Bacon, but it tends to get a little chewy
Spinach,  add this to the sauté at the end of the veggie process, just let it wilt down from the heat of the other veggies
Salsa
Cheese
Asparagus
Broccoli
Cheeseburger
Zucchini

Tomato

Just think asparagus, broccoli and feta! mmmmm......



Next up...THE Salad

****So, lately I have been making some variations on this!  Several have turned out WONDERFULLY! Really, I don't think you can go wrong, anything is tasty in this!  But 2 new favorites are: Fiesta Muffins and Pesto Muffins!

Recently we have discovered this amazing chicken sausage.   Al Fresco Chicken Sausage, which comes in a bunch of flavors.  I was really skeptical, but dang it is so good!  The Sweet Apple is my favorite and my hubs LOVES the Jalapeño & the Chipotle.  Anyhow, these pair amazingly with the egg muffins!  I have 1/2 a link with my pesto muffin and my husband has a whole jalapeño link with his Fiesta muffin.  Check them out!

Fiesta Muffins:  1/2 cup egg white, add 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, a few slices of avocado and 3-4 slices of fresh jalapeño!  Bake! mmmmm....

Pesto Muffins: 1/2 cup egg whites,  2 mushrooms sliced, then top with 3 slices of roma tomato and 1 tsp fresh basil pesto on top of the tomato.  Bake!

Fiesta Muffins - jalapeño, cilantro, avocado - we serve these with a side of salsa and a jalapeño chicken sausage! MMMM....

Pesto Muffins with sliced roma tomato, mushroom and basil pesto!