Zetus lapetus, look at all that cheesy green goodness!
I don’t know about you, but whether it’s a workday or a weekend 3 o’clock always starts to bring out my drowsiest, most cranky characteristics. Yes, it’s true: I’m one of those dreaded “morning people,” and by this time my cheerfulness starts to drain, along with my energy.
With the brink of summer around the corner and a schedule jam-packed with work and social plans, not to mention the extended daylight to cram in as much fun as possible, I’ve been looking for more ways to re-energize during the day.
As a former barista, my coffee intake is already off the charts and I’m not looking for another stimulant that’ll just delay the “crash” effect. In addition to exercise and drinking more water, I decided to change up my diet with some foods that are both convenient and will boost energy levels through the next few months.
For my first recipe, I decided to try out these cute egg muffins that are incredibly easy and super-portable! Egg muffins are great for a breakfast on-the-go or as a midday snack to jolt up your afternoon, and they’re great for those trying to limit their carbohydrates intake (and they’re veg-friendly, wooo!). I chose to use egg whites in mine, though you can also use real eggs in yours for a fuller cup.
You will need:
1 cutting board
1 paring knife
A whisk or fork
1 cupcake pan
12 cupcake wrappers
1 16 oz. container of Egg Whites (or, the equivalent of 10 eggs)
1 green pepper
1 orange pepper (optional)
1 cup of chopped or whole leaf spinach (frozen spinach is OK, just thaw it out a little bit)
5 baby ‘bella mushrooms
1 block of Pepperjack cheese (optional; Cheddar and Swiss also work well for this)
A dash of curry or chili powder (optional)
A dash of Jane’s Krazy Mixed Up Salt (optional)
Step 1:
First, preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Then, on a cutting board, chop up the peppers and mushrooms into small, cubed sizes and set them aside on a plate for later (I only chopped about half of each pepper). Because I’m addicted to cheese, I decided to grate some Pepperjack Cheese to sprinkle on top of mine, which can be left on the cutting board.
Step 2:
Toss all the chopped veggies and spinach into a mixing bowl. Stir them around with a fork until they seem well-mixed, and if you desire, add a dash of curry or chili powder to the mix. I neglected to do so, and think my egg muffins might have fared better with the addition of another spice. I did use a family favorite in mine, Jane’s Krazy Mixed Up Salt, which added some flavor to them but I don’t think it was quite enough. Stir in whatever seasonings you like and then start to pour some of the egg whites (or egg yolks) in. I used about half the container here, and stirred the whites into the mix. Don’t throw the leftover egg whites – you’ll need them later!
Step 3:
Set up the cupcake wrappers in the cupcake tray, making sure none of them are ill-fitting or sliding around. I like to use foil cupcake wrappers because they’ve heavy enough to stay in place without folding under the weight of the egg whites/yolks. When those are in place, start to scoop out some of the veggie/egg mixture about halfway into each cupcake wrapper. When each cup if half-filled, add a little more of the whites/yolks into each so it’s about 3/4 filled, and then sprinkle some cheese on top for flavor if you’d like, or save the cheese to sprinkle on about five minutes before they come out of the oven for a more melted effect .
Step 4:
Pop the tray into the oven for about 20 minutes, occasionally checking on the muffins. You may need less time, depending on the veggie-to-egg ratio you use (those with less eggs will cook faster). When they’re ready to take out, let them cool for about ten minutes. Once cooled, you can enjoy immediately (nom nom nom!), or you can store and freeze them to enjoy later. If you make a dozen, it’s easy to freeze a few and take out one each night to thaw; by morning, all you’ll need is a microwave and a few moments to enjoy it. Bon appetit!
If you any variations on this recipe, or have any recommendations for other energy-packed snacks, share them with me! Feel free to email me at sleppo@ydr.com – I’m always excited to find out new methods ways to stay on your game for days that are sometimes a little more than 24 hours. Cheers!