These breakfast casseroles are easy to make in your air fryer and are loaded with protein. The casseroles are great if you're on a diabetic diet with their mixture of carbohydrates, fiber, protein, and a limited amount of fat. I make the casseroles when I have left-over quinoa on hand and want something a bit different for breakfast. Often, I make the casseroles ahead of time, remove them from their ramekins, and refrigerate them in plastic containers for a quick breakfast later in the week. You can reheat each mini-casserole in the microwave (about a minute on medium power) or in the air fryer (a few minutes at 320 degrees). The casseroles have plenty of flavor, and the cottage cheese provides a bit of creaminess as well as low-fat protein. I usually use shredded cheddar cheese, ham, and green onions in the mini casseroles, but you can vary the type of cheese you use (try Swiss/Gruyere, for example) and omit the ham if you prefer. I sometimes use tri-color quinoa--as you see in the photo--but any quinoa will work as long as you cook it in advance. The little casseroles also make nice light dinners and lunches with a salad alongside. Enjoy!
Air Fryer Quinoa and Cottage Cheese Mini Breakfast Casseroles -- Makes 4
1/4 cup of low-fat cottage cheese
1/4 cup of finely chopped or shredded ham
1/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons of minced dried onion (yes, use the dried onion--it will absorb moisture
from the other ingredients)
1/8 teaspoon of pepper
2 - 3 tablespoons of chopped green onion
1/4 cup of milk
1 cup of cooked quinoa
Coat four small ramekins well with non-stick cooking spray. In a large bowl combine the cottage cheese, ham, cheddar cheese, eggs, dried onion, pepper, green onion, and milk. Mix in the quinoa until completely combined. Divide the mixture among the prepared ramekins. Air fry the mini-casseroles at 320 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Let the mini casseroles cool in their ramekins for about 10 minutes before running a knife along the edge of the ramekins and unmolding the mini casseroles.
