Broccoli, quinoa and goat cheese mini pies are a healthy comfort food

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Comfort food without the guilt of high calories and horrible, unpronounceable ingredients? I’m there! And no, it’s not too good to be true.

I found a mini broccoli, quinoa and goat cheese pie recipe on KarlasNordicKitchen.com that’s filled with healthy ingredients. Bite after bite is filled with bits of broccoli, the occasional creamy burst of melted goat cheese and its packed with other healthy foods like quinoa, oats and pumpkin seeds.

The end result is a delicious fusion of flavors where no one ingredient overpowers the other. It tastes very much like a souffle; warm and slightly airy, but not so much as to fall apart on the plate…unless, ahem, you have impatient moments and decide to scoop out the mini pies before they even have a chance to cool for, oh, I don’t know, five seconds. : ) In any event, the recipe makes about 10 small pies (for some reason, I found it made about seven using a typical-sized muffin pan).

I think these are perfect “anytime” meals, ideal for breakfast or even dinner.

 

How to make broccoli, quinoa and goat cheese pies

First off, this isn’t one large pie. Instead it’s more like several mini pies cooked in a muffin tin, which not only look adorable, but give everyone a perfect portion. As Goldilocks would say, “just right.”

Ingredients:

Of course, choose organic whenever possible.

  • 3/4 cup quinoa cooked in 1 1/2 cup water
  • 5.3 oz. broccoli florets
  • 3.5 oz. goat cheese roll
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tablespoons oatmeal
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • Pumpkin seeds

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit
  2. Cook the quinoa for approximately 15 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed. Be sure to rinse it well beforehand.
  3. Slice the goat cheese into small pieces and mix it with the warm quinoa until it becomes creamy.
  4. Add broccoli florets in a pot of salted boiling water and let them boil about 5 minutes, then drain, cool. Chop the broccoli fine and mix in with the quinoa. Add eggs, oats and salt and pepper to taste. Using a spoon, put the mixture into the muffin tin.
  5. If using a regular muffin tin as opposed to a silicone one, lightly grease before putting the filling in. Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and bake for approx. 20 minutes.

Health benefits of the broccoli pie with quinoa and goat cheese

Broccoli, a cruciferous vegetable, is a tremendous cancer-fighting food since it contains chemicals that help remove carcinogenic compounds from cells, helping the body flush out toxins.(1)

Quinoa is wonderful when it comes to boosting overall health. It’s a high-protein food that helps alkalize the body, has been shown to help provide migraine relief to sufferers, and is low on the glycemic index.(2)

As for goat cheese, it’s a good alternative for those allergic to dairy products made with cow’s milk, is high in protein, and contrary to what many people think when they hear “cheese,” is low in fat and calories (a 1-ounce slice of cheddar, for example, contains about 110 calories versus just 70 for the same about of goat cheese).(3)

So enjoy. This warm mini pie is loaded with flavor and health benefits galore, is the perfect portion for every person, and looks pretty when it’s served for breakfast, lunch or dinner!

Sources for this article include:

(1) http://rawandnaturalhealth.com/
(2) http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/
(3) http://www.livestrong.com/

Antonia
A science enthusiast with a keen interest in health nutrition, Antonia has been intensely researching various dieting routines for several years now, weighing their highs and their lows, to bring readers the most interesting info and news in the field. While she is very excited about a high raw diet, she likes to keep a fair and balanced approach towards non-raw methods of food preparation as well. (http://www.rawfoodhealthwatch.com/)