Cheesy Vegetable Quinoa Bites

I just love these cheesy vegetable quinoa bites, because they are the perfect little healthy snack or appetizer. The yield of this recipe is 24, and the ingredients are simple and can vary, depending on what vegetables you have available at the time. Sometimes when following recipes, if I don't have the exact ingredient or vegetable requested, I modify the recipe to what I do have available, and it always still comes out great.

As I think I've discussed in a previous blog, quinoa is a grain that is becoming increasingly popular. You can now find it in grocery stores like Publix, whereas before you could mainly just find it in specialty health food stores. You can cook it just like rice- by boiling in an inch or two of water, until it is absorbed by the grain. Something awesome about quinoa is that it has a pretty high protein & fiber content- both of which will help keep you feeling full longer for less calories (1 cup of cooked quinoa has about 8 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber and 220 calories) . This is great for vegetarians, who may sometimes struggle to get enough protein in their diets. Quinoa is also gluten free, so those with Celiac disease can enjoy it. However in this recipe, a small amount of flour is used so a gluten-free option should be substituted if you have a sensitivity to gluten.

Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
-2 large eggs
-3 carrots, shredded
-1 cup red bell pepper
-2 teaspoons garlic
-1/2 cup green onion
- 2 tablespoons flour
-4 oz non-fat or reduced fat cheddar cheese, shredded
-Salt & pepper, to taste

*You can also choose other vegetables, such as spinach, shallots, onion, etc.






Directions 
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2. Lightly spray a mini muffin tin, or just a baking pan, with cooking spray
3. In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients together, mixing until combined
4.Using a tablespoon, place rounded drops of the mixture into each cup of the mini muffin tin or baking pan
5. Bake until lightly golden, about 15-20 minutes
6. Serve immediately for freshest taste

I didn't use the mini muffin tin, as you can see in the picture, but really the only difference is that the quinoa bites will look more uniform and probably a little better if placed in the muffin tins.