Global
Savoury Egg-White Muffins
Protein-packed baked egg muffins loaded with veg for a grab-and-go breakfast without the pastry or fry-up.
~35 mintotal~127 kcalper serving~11g protein~2g carbs~9g fat
Estimated. Worked out from the ingredients using the UK food composition tables, so treat it as a guide rather than a measurement. A typical recipe lands within about a quarter of the true figure. Makes about 5.
Ingredients
- 8 eggs (or 6 eggs + 4 whites)
- 1 cup spinach, chopped
- ½ red pepper, diced
- 4 cherry tomatoes, chopped
- ¼ cup grated cheese
- Salt & pepper
- Olive oil spray
Cooking Steps
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and oil a muffin tin.
Whisk the eggs with seasoning.
Divide the veg and cheese between the cups, then pour over the egg.
Bake 18–20 minutes until set.
Cool a few minutes and turn out.
Optional Enhancements
- Add mushrooms or lean ham
- Dairy-free: skip the cheese
- Swap in any veg you have
Plant & Growing Tips
Spinach
- Sow spinach seeds directly in early spring or late summer for best results, as it prefers cooler temperatures.
- Plant in an area with full sun in cooler climates or partial shade where summers are hot.
- Ensure consistent moisture to prevent bolting and encourage tender leaf growth.
Red Pepper
- Start red pepper seeds indoors 8-10 weeks before the last expected frost, transplanting after all danger has passed.
- Grow in full sun and well-draining, fertile soil; provide support for heavy fruit production.
- Water regularly and deeply, especially when fruits are setting, to prevent blossom end rot.
Cherry Tomatoes
- Plant cherry tomato seedlings in a sunny location with at least 6-8 hours of direct sun daily after the last frost.
- Provide sturdy stakes, cages, or trellises for support as the plants grow tall and heavy with fruit.
- Ensure consistent watering to prevent cracking and encourage steady growth.
Natural Pest Control
- Hand-pick larger pests like tomato hornworms and pepper weevils as soon as they are spotted.
- Use yellow sticky traps to monitor and control flying insects like whiteflies around pepper and tomato plants.
- Introduce beneficial insects like ladybugs to help control aphid populations on spinach, peppers, and tomatoes.
- Apply neem oil spray as an organic preventative for leaf miners on spinach and other common garden pests.
Harvest
Spinach
- Harvest outer leaves when they are young and tender, allowing the inner leaves to continue growing (cut-and-come-again).
- Alternatively, you can harvest the entire plant by cutting it at the base before it bolts in warm weather.
- If spinach is left too long, it will bolt (send up a flower stalk) and its leaves will become bitter.
Red Pepper
- Pick red peppers when they have reached their full red color and are firm to the touch.
- You can also harvest them when green, but they will be less sweet and have a different flavor profile.
- Leaving peppers on the plant too long after ripening can lead to softening or rot.
Cherry Tomatoes
- Harvest cherry tomatoes when they are fully colored, firm, and easily detach from the vine with a gentle tug.
- Check plants daily as cherry tomatoes ripen quickly and can become overripe if left on the vine.
- Overripe tomatoes may split or become soft and mealy, losing their best flavor and texture.
Storing & Freezing
Fridge up to 4 days; freeze 2 months.
