Over the last few months I have been looking for some easy protein snack and breakfast ideas to have on-hand for busy weekdays. I made an egg cup recipe a long time ago that is delish. However, it is a little bit more labor intensive than I would like these days. It also contains cheese and lately I, very unfortunately, have had to cut dairy out of my diet because it has been upsetting baby girl’s stomach.
So, I wanted an easy egg recipe sans dairy that I could heat up quickly as a breakfast option in the mornings or take with me to work for snacks. This recipe is super simple with just 3-ish ingredients yet packs big flavor, which, if you have been following me, you know I’m all about. I made a batch last week when my dad was coming in town to visit. Both he and my husband loved them and I hope you love them as well!
Note for the Young Athlete
One of the things that many of the athletes I speak with have in common is that the majority of their protein is consumed in the later half of the day. Breakfast is most often skipped and lunch can be hit-or-miss depending on what is for lunch that day, how much time is available to eat and if something else came up “more important” than lunch (FYI - for an athlete lunch is one of the most important activities at the lunch break!). Missing breakfast or lunch is a missed opportunity for either (a) muscle recovery if the athlete had an early morning practice or (b) a chance to fuel prior to a daytime or afternoon game or practice. Also, remember that our bodies only utilize a certain amount of protein at once for muscle protein synthesis (building / repairing lean muscle) so it’s important that protein is consumed in each meal and in snacks throughout the day. A missed meal is a missed opportunity that you may not be able to make up for later in the day.
These egg cups are great because you can eat them cold or room temp. If you want them warm, just pop them in the microwave for about a minute and go! These are a great way for the athlete to get his or her protein in the morning either walking out the door or walking to class after a morning practice. And, just because they contain eggs doesn’t mean they have to be eaten in the morning. To all of my athletes with evening games and practices, these are a great easy protein option in your evening recovery meal (make sure to pair with a quality carb!)!
Whip these guys up on the weekend and store in the fridge so they are ready to go when your week begins!
Happy Fueling!
Taylor
Easy Egg Cups
Makes 12 egg cups
INGREDIENTS
12 whole eggs
3 1/2 to 4 tablespoons jarred pesto (of course you can also make your own fresh if you have the time)
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 tsp salt (I have made some batches without any added salt and they were still great!)
Pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS
Roast the tomatoes according to my Oven Burst Cherry Tomato recipe but don’t worry about adding any extra herbs.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and spray a 12 count muffin tin with cooking spray.
Once tomatoes are done roasting, remove from the oven and allow to cool almost completely.
While tomatoes are cooling, in a large bowl whisk together the eggs, pesto and pinch of salt (if using) until pesto is well incorporated into the egg mixture.
Now add the roasted tomatoes into the egg-pesto mixture and incorporate well using a rubber spatula. It’s important to let the tomatoes cool first so that they don’t start to cook the eggs when added to the mixture.
Now that all ingredients are combined, using a 1/4 or 1/3 measuring cup, fill each muffin tin with the egg mixture, diving mixture up evenly between each cup.
Place muffin tin in preheated oven and bake for 15 to 25 minutes until the egg cups puff and begin to brown on top.
Serve immediately or allow to cool, wrap up each cup individually in plastic wrap and store in the fridge to enjoy throughout the week!
Nutrition Notes
I use whole eggs in this recipe vs. egg whites. This gives the recipe all of the great nutrients found in the egg yolk, including vitamin D. Vitamin D is not found in many foods and is extremely important for the young athlete in maintaining strong bones and preventing issues like bone stress injuries. If you’re concerned about cholesterol in the eggs remember that studies have found it is more the saturated fat in food vs the cholesterol that has a negative impact on our blood cholesterol levels. So enjoy those eggs and this recipe!
And for those that like pics of each step….
Here is 1 pint of cherry tomatoes tossed in olive oil, sprinkled with salt and pepper and ready to go into the broiler for about 8 minutes.
Cracked my eggs into a medium-sized mixing bowl
Added 3 to 4 tablespoons of jarred pesto
After the tomatoes have come out of the oven and cooled, I mix them in with the eggs and pesto. Looks questionable but, trust me, it’s going to be great!
Egg cups cook in the oven about 20 minutes until they start to puff like this. Once out of the oven let them cool slightly and then pop out of the muffin tins and enjoy!!! (I run a dull knife around the edges when they come out of the oven to help easily get them out of the tins)