Quinoa Pizza Muffins

Originally posted March 31, 2016

Packed with protein and fiber, these little muffins are perfect for lunch, dinner, snacks and parties.  Kid and adult approved!

Did any of you eat pizza pockets or pizza bites as a kid? Gooey, cheesy little pockets of pizza perfection. Oh, how I loved to open up my lunch box and see them in there!

Now when I see those pizza snacks on the shelves in a grocery store, they don't look as appealing to me.  They are packed with preservatives, calories, sugar and sodium.  

Next time you are at the store, take my advice and keep walking past the pizza bites and make these lighter, healthier Quinoa Pizza Muffins.  They have all the flavors you love about pizza, but with less calories and fat.  

WHAT INGREDIENTS DO I NEED?

• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese
• ½ cup preferred type of pepperoni (turkey, vegan, etc)
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• ½ cup fresh basil
• 2 tablespoon gluten free flour
• 2 eggs
• dash of salt/pepper

Living without gluten and dairy can be difficult at times.  Especially times when I am craving pizza.  Luckily, I happened to make a big batch of quinoa last night.  I love to make large quantities of things like quinoa, rice, and cucumber salad for the week.  I can just pull it out at dinner and have a side dish already made.   Keeping stress to a minimum is super important!

Since I already had some quinoa already made, I decided to create these pizza muffins to help feed my craving for pizza.  

HOW DO I MAKE QUINOA PIZZA MUFFINS?

Start by, combining 2 cups of cooked quinoa, with 1 cup mozzarella cheese in a large bowl.  

Next, chop ½ cup of pepperoni into smaller pieces and add to bowl.  Stir in 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, and a dash of salt & pepper.  Chop ½ cup of fresh basil and add to bowl.  

Lastly, mix in 2 eggs and 2 tablespoon of gluten free flour.  Make sure to combine all the ingredients well.  Scoop the pizza mixture into 12 prepared muffin tins, packing them down.  Bake for approximately 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees.  

When the muffins are done baking, remove from oven and let cool.  Serve with a side of your favorite marinara sauce for dipping.

The last thing you will be thinking when eating these Quinoa Pizza Muffins is how guilty you feel.  There is no reason! They are light, fluffy and a great alternative to the usual bites in the frozen food section.   I love being able to eat foods that I am craving and not feel bad about it!

STILL CRAVING MORE PIZZA RECIPES? CHECK OUT MORE BELOW:

• Mini Breakfast Pizza
• Gluten Free Bbq Garden Pizza
• Vegetable Curry Pizza with Basmati Rice Crust
• Pesto Pizza with Chickpea Crust