Healthy & Lean Breakfast Muffins

Instructions

1. Prep Your Oven and Muffin Pan: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly spray a 12-cup muffin pan with a low-calorie cooking spray, or use silicone muffin liners.
2. Cook the Meat: In a large non-stick skillet, cook the lean ground turkey or chicken over medium heat until it’s browned and fully cooked through. Break it up into small crumbles as it cooks. If there’s any visible fat, drain it off. Set the cooked meat aside to cool slightly.
3. Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and baking powder.
4. Combine Wet and Dry: In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs. add
5. Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
6. Add the whisked eggs, shredded cheese, and any optional additions (like diced onion or herbs) to the flour mixture. Stir gently until everything is just combined. Try not to overmix.
7. Add the Cooked Meat: Fold the cooled, cooked ground meat into the mixture until it’s evenly distributed.
8. Fill the Muffin Pan: Spoon the mixture evenly into the 12 prepared muffin cups. Each cup should be about three-quarters full.
9. Bake the Muffins: Place the muffin pan in your preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
10. Cool and Store: Let the muffins cool in the pan for a few minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week, or freeze them for longer storage.

Healthy Eating Considerations:

1. Lean Meats: Using very lean turkey or chicken mince (5% fat or less) makes the “sausage” component excellent for a calorie-conscious diet.
2. Cheese Allowance: This is the main area where you’ll need to consider your daily allowance if you’re following a specific dietary plan.
3. A typical reduced-fat cheddar will contribute some calories and fat. If you use 60g and divide it by 12 muffins, each muffin would contain a small portion of the cheese’s fat and calories.
4. To reduce these further, consider using a very small amount of stronger-flavoured cheese like Parmesan, or opting for fat-free cottage cheese (mashed well) which is very low in calories and fat.
5. Flour & Baking Powder: Using plain flour with baking powder is a much lower calorie and fat alternative to many pre-made baking mixes that can contain added fats and sugars. When divided by 12, the contribution per muffin from the flour will be minimal.
6. Cooking Spray: Always use a low-calorie cooking spray for greasing to minimize added fats.
7. These muffins are fantastic for meal prepping and enjoying as a speedy, protein-packed breakfast!