Savory meat and spinach muffins are easy to make and a healthy grab-and-go breakfast or snack.
Of all the things I’ve given up, I miss cheese the most.
Though, in fairness, I haven’t completely given up cheese.
Just tried to cut back on my consumption of it.
Way back.
And that’s exactly what I thought about when I first bit into these Meat and Spinach Muffins.
Cheese. It needs cheese.
But that kind of defeats the purpose.
So be strong and power through with me.
Don’t add cheese.
I have been using the Well Fed cookbooks a lot over the past few months, and have made a number of new, successful recipes. Thie recipe comes from the first edition.
With blogs, blogs, blogs still continuing to be the rage, I can’t tell you how nice it is to go old-school and cook out of a cookbook.
These muffins kind of remind me a bit of our beloved Spinach Cheese Squares.
Mostly because ALL THE SPINACH.
But this is a far healthier version.
Mostly because NO CHEESE.
With 48 (!!) ounces of spinach, coupled with eggs and ground beef, this makes for a healthy and filling … Snack. Quick Breakfast Item. Fill in the blank.
I liked them even more on the second day.
(just pop the cooked and cooled spinach cups into a sealed container or Ziploc bag and take them out and toast them as you want them)
Which meant they were the perfect grab-and-go breakfast item for me on busy weekdays. I popped two into my tote to eat for breakfast when I got to the office. Toasted until warm through in the toaster oven and I dipped each bite into mustard.
Delicious. Healthy. So good for you.
Make ‘em!
PS And if you love cheese as much as I do and want to add it to this recipe, they would taste fabulous with a bit of feta thrown in, which I feel is a happy medium. Cheese, but not super bad for you. Win/win.
Hungry for more healthy recipes?
This mayo is also from the Well Fed cookbook series, and I guarantee that once you taste it, you won’t ever buy off-the-shelf stuff again.
A kid-approved healthier version of mac and cheese that includes a bit ‘o broccoli. Ok, a lot of broccoli.
This Very Veggie Sloppy Joes recipe is perfect for our super chilly nights (and easy enough for a weeknight!).
Meat and Spinach Muffins
Recipe from Well Fed – Paleo Recipes for People Who Love to Eat
Makes 12 | Prep 30 minutes | Cook 40 minutes
Ingredients:
3 16-ounce bags frozen chopped spinach, defrosted
1/2 tablespoon coconut oil
1/2 medium onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
3 large eggs
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 F.
2. This is crucial step! Squeeze the excess water from the defrosted spinach. Here’s my trick for removing excess water: Place all the spinach in a colander or wire sieve and press out the water with the bottom of a bowl that fits inside the colander, then squeeze individual handfuls of spinach to wring out the remaining water. You should have about 4 cups of spinach when you’re finished with the squeezing process.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, about 3 minutes. Add coconut oil and allow it to melt. Toss the onion in the pan and sauté, stirring with a wooden spoon, until it’s crisp-tender and translucent, about 5 minutes.
4. Crumble the meat into the pan, breaking up lumps with the wooden spoon. Add the garlic, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper and cook until the meat is browned. Stir in the spinach until it’s combined. Set aside to cool for about 15 minutes.
5. Whisk the eggs in a small bowl with a fork, and when the meat is cool, add them to the meat; blend well. The easiest way to combine everything is to mix with your hands. Dig in!
6. Place muffin papers in a 12-count muffin pan; they prevent sticking. Pack the batter into a 1/2- cup measuring cup, then transfer it to the muffin pan, using your hands to pack the spinach tightly into the muffin paper. It should be slightly mounded on top – the muffins puff a bit when they bake, then slightly deflate when cool. Bake for 40 minutes until the tops are lightly browned. Remove the muffins from the pan, cool, and store covered, in the refrigerator.
Alternative Ideas:
Omit the meat to make an unexpected spinach side dish that looks (and tastes) great alongside roasted meat or grilled steak – like popovers with more nutritional punch. Or… follow the directions above and add the following seasonings.
Italian! ground beef or pork + 1 tablespoon Italian Sausage Seasoning
Tex-Mex! ground beef + 1-2 tablespoons chili powder + 1 tablespoon lime juice
Indian! ground lamb + 1 tablespoon curry powder + 2 tablespoons raisins
Middle Eastern! ground lamb + 1 tablespoon cumin + 1 teaspoon dried mint leaves
Moroccan! ground lamb + 1 tablespoon Ras El Hanout
Greek! ground lamb + 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves + 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Asian! ground pork + 2 teaspoons Chinese five-spice powder + 1 tablespoon coconut aminos
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