Mushroom Quinoa Egg & Cheese Puffs

I have re-discovered quinoa, a long-lost love that was hiding away in my cupboard. I pulled it out to make myself a cake for my birthday, and then, once I’d made it and tasted it, now I’ve fallen in love with it all over again …

Today has been a day of relaxation and play in the kitchen. It seems like a long time since I had the time to just relax and the energy to play in the kitchen. I bought some mushrooms at the store, not sure why, but it seemed like they just wanted to come home with me. And once I’d cooked up some quinoa for other things, well, the eggs and cheese were calling me, and the mushrooms, hey, they got to be the star ingredient. The quinoa and the cheese are quite talented co-stars.

These were so scrumptious, I kept finding myself grabbing another to munch on as I got them ready for their photo shoot. Before I knew it, I’d chowed down 8 of these little puffs. I guess I was hungry!

Quinoa is a seed that is naturally gluten free … it’s high in protein and fiber and, when cooked, it’s got a nice nutty taste and a pleasantly light chewy texture. If you are making these puffs for someone who is gluten intolerant, though, make sure you get quinoa that is certified gluten free. Many times quinoa is processed in facilities that process wheat. You don’t want that if you’re seriously sensitive to gluten.

Mushroom Quinoa Egg & Cheese Puffs

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: About 27 cheese puffs 1x

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 8 oz. fresh mushrooms
• 2 – 4 cloves of fresh garlic, peeled & chopped fine
• 2 Tablespoons dry white wine
• Red Robin Seasoning & fresh ground pepper
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup cooked quinoa, cooled
• 1 Tablespoon plain nonfat Greek yogurt
• 3 oz. Fontina cheese, shredded (or other flavorful Italian cheese, shred a little extra for the tops)
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh tarragon or basil (or other herb of your choice)
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray two mini-muffin pans with cooking spray.
2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, then add the mushrooms and garlic and stir to mix well. Saute for a few minutes until the mushrooms start to get cooked a bit. When they seem a little dry, add a Tablespoon of white wine and cook and stir until the wine is gone, then add another Tablespoon of wine and cook and stir until the wine is gone and the mushrooms are tender. Sprinkle with Red Robin Seasoning and pepper and stir to mix, then taste and add more seasoning if desired. (Remember you’ll be adding salty cheese later, so take it light on the salt.) Take the mushrooms off the heat and set aside.
3. Now, separate the eggs, putting the yolks in a medium mixing bowl and the whites in a smaller mixing bowl. Whisk the yolks until they are smooth, then stir in the quinoa and yogurt. Add the mushrooms, cheese and herbs and stir until it’s all well mixed.
4. Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Sprinkle with the cream of tartar, then beat some more until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the cheesy mushroom mixture.
5. Fill the mini muffin cups just barely below the top with the mushroom egg mixture, making sure to get some chunks of mushroom in each cup. Sprinkle each puff with about 1 teaspoon of shredded cheese.
6. Bake at 350 for 15 – 18 minutes or until the puffs are “puffed” and just lightly golden brown on top. They will fall a bit after you take them out of the oven. That’s okay. Wait just a few minutes, then gently lift the puffs from their pan with a fork and set on a serving plate. Serve hot.

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Notes

RECIPE SOURCE: http://www.sumptuousspoonfuls.com/

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This recipe was shared at What to Do Weekends, Sweet & Savoury Sunday, Weekend Potluck, Munching Monday, Treasure Box Tuesday, Tuesday’s Table, Talking Tuesday over the Fence, Gluten Free Friday and Hearth & Soul Bloghop.