SPINACH AND TOMATO GRAIN-FREE BREAKFAST MUFFIN
Breakfast is the one meal of the day where most of us struggle to get right in terms of nutrient content and convenience. This is a portable breakfast option that you can make in advance and a great solution for a tasty and nutritious breakfast for your kids even if they are running late and heading out the door. I generally make a batch at the beginning of the week and we have them for breakfast, or in a packed lunch or as a snack after school when the kids are grumpy and tired and need something to pick them up without causing a sugar rush which is generally followed by the inevitable energy and mood crash. You can change the ingredients according to what is in season or even add extras like bits of cooked bacon, flaked, poached salmon or chopped cooked chicken. If you are able to tolerate dairy then 1/2 cup of grated strong cheddar cheese added to the egg mixture before baking will do very nicely!
Ingredients
- 4 medium eggs
- 3/4 cup almond milk
- 1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
- 2 cup chopped spinach
- 1 tsp good quality sea salt
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 180 degrees celcius or 160 degrees celcius if you have a fan oven
- Oil a muffin tray REALLY well or alternatively use muffin cases. It's really important to oil the tray well or if you are using muffin cases to get the ones that will not stick
- Whisk the eggs and the plant-based milk - we have used almond milk.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and spinach and salt to the egg mixture and combine well.
- Pour the mixture into the muffin tray. You should have enough for 6 regular muffins.
- Cook for between 25 and 30 minutes or until the centre is not wobbly. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes before removing from the tray. Eat straight away or cool down and place in the fridge where it will keep for 3 days. It is delcious eaten hot or cold.
THE SCIENCE BIT
EGGS are wonderfully easy to digest protein with a full set of amino acids to feed almost every function in the body. They are a great source of almost all B vitamins, including a wonderful source of choline essential for cognition and a healthy nervous system as well as significant for detoxification. Eggs also contain an exceptional number of minerals including, selenium and iodine, fundamental in thyroid health. SPINACH is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A (in the form of carotenoids), manganese, folate, magnesium, iron, copper, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin E, calcium, potassium and vitamin C. It is a very good source of dietary fibre, phosphorus, vitamin B1, zinc, protein and choline. Additionally, spinach is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, niacin, pantothenic acid and selenium. In addition to the nutrient richness of spinach in terms of these conventional nutrients, spinach also provides the carotenoids lutein, neoxanthin, and violaxanthin; the flavonoids spinacetin, patuletin, and jaceidin; and naturally occurring nitrates. TOMATOES are an excellent source vitamin C, biotin, molybdenum and vitamin K. They are also a very good source of copper, potassium, manganese, dietary fibre, vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene), vitamin B6, folate, niacin, vitamin E and phosphorus. Additionally, they are a good source of chromium, pantothenic acid, protein, choline, zinc and iron. These 22 total nutrient rankings for tomato actually place this amazing vegetable right alongside a vegetable like kale in terms of total nutrient rankings.
