Monday, February 4, 2013

Cheesy Ham and Broccoli Quinoa Bites


Cheesy Ham and Broccoli Quinoa Bites
melskitchencafe.com
 
melskitchencafe.com: Cheesy Ham and Broccoli Quinoa Bites

INGREDIENTS:
3 cups cooked quinoa, chilled or at room temperature (I prefer to cook quinoa in low-sodium chicken broth for added flavor)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
8 ounces deli ham, chopped fine (about 1 1/2 cups)
1-2 cups finely chopped steamed broccoli (see note above)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, stir together all the ingredients except the cheese until combined. Stir in the cheese until well-distributed. Lightly grease a mini muffin cup tin. Scoop the quinoa mixture into the tin, filling the cups all the way to the top and lightly pressing to pack the mixture a bit. I found it helpful to use my cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoon size) to scoop the mixture into the tin. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until golden on top. Remove from the tin and repeat with the remaining mixture (you can scoop it into the warm tin and bake again). Serve warm or at room temperature.

Sunday, February 3, 2013

Bruschetta Chicken Pesto Wraps

Bruschetta Chicken Pesto Wraps
Recipe by Our Best Bites

1 tomato, diced (seeds removed)
1 tablespoon minced onion
1-2 tablespoons fresh minced basil or 1 teaspoon dry basil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
kosher salt
black pepper

1 tablespoon light mayo
1 tablespoon light sour cream or plain greek yogurt
2 tablespoons pesto
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice and a little zest
1 cup shredded or diced cooked chicken breast, about 4 ounces
1 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted

1/2 cup shredded romaine lettuce or spinach leaves
2 torillas, flat breads, rolls, pitas, etc.

Combine diced tomato, onion, basil, and balsamic vinegar. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
Combine mayo, sour cream, pesto, lemon juice and a few grates of the lemon zest. Stir mixture and combine it with chicken and pine nuts, stirring until combined. Layer lettuce on torillas (or carb of choice), top with chicken mixture, and then bruschetta.
Serves 2 tortillas, or 12 mini pitas.