I love nothing more than healthy foods that make little to no mess. Quinoa is one of those foods that has such a good nutritional profile, but have you ever fed it to a toddler? Let me tell you, it’s a giant mess. And sometimes I can’t be bothered to deal with a huge mess. I’ve talked in this post about how if I know that one of our meals for the day are going to be messy, I try to keep the other meals somewhat neater. Otherwise I could easily end up spending all day cleaning up my kitchen! I saw someone make something similar to this on Instagram but could never find the recipe, so I decided to get creative and make my own. And that’s how quinoa pizza muffins were born.
These are the simplest things ever to make and are the perfect quick lunch for little ones. Theo is in the stage where he loves dipping his food. He will pretty much eat anything if there’s a dip involved. I serve these with a little side of marinara sauce and he dips away and goes to town on them. He’s also a big fan of food in fun new shapes, and anything muffin shaped is always a hit.
Even though I created these with Theo in mind, I actually really love them too. I would never turn down a delicious slice of pizza, but I do also really enjoy finding healthy alternatives to unhealthy foods. These quinoa pizza muffins are easy to prep at the beginning of the week and I can grab one to eat with my lunch to hit those pizza cravings. I do have to admit, Jordan had no interest at all in these haha. He will happily pass until a real piece of pizza makes its way onto his plate.
On the other hand, Theo and I love these. Let me know what you think of them!
Quinoa Pizza Muffins
Quick and easy lunch that's perfect for picky toddlers and gluten free families.
Ingredients
- 1 C quinoa cooked
- ¼ C diced mushrooms
- ¼ C marinara
- 1 egg
- ½ C shredded mozzarella
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground pepper
- Extra cheese for topping
- Extra marinara for dipping
Instructions
How to cook fluffy quinoa:
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Combine the quinoa and broth in pot and bring to a boil. Once it has reached a boil, stir and lower the temperature to a simmer.
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Cover the pot and let simmer for 15 minutes. Keep it covered! Do not be tempted to check on it.
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After 15 minutes, remove from heat and let it remain covered for another 5 minutes. Uncover and fluff with a fork.
Pizza Muffins:
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease 6 sections of a muffin pan to prevent sticking.
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Mix together all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl.
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Fill the muffin pan with the mixture, it should make about 6 bites total. Top each bite with some extra cheese.
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Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until the edges start to turn golden brown.
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Let cool for 15 minutes before removing from the muffin tin, or else they will fall apart.
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Serve with extra marinara for dipping!
