Beautiful, little bites of Greek goodness, these Spanakopita Egg Muffins are not only full of flavor, they are also super healthy. And they taste SO much like the popular Greek pastry! Make these little bites on the weekend so you have healthy little bites you can warm up and enjoy all week long. They freeze well too, so go ahead and make extra.
I packed these little bites with lots of spinach, plus garlic, onion, fresh oregano, feta cheese and lemon. Then I topped them with sweet sun dried tomatoes. The sweet chewy sun dried tomatoes and creamy feta hit your tongue first and then the lemony garlic spinach flavor shines through. The egg holds it all together and provides the protein to boot. I also added some cottage cheese, which adds a nice cheesy undertone, an extra protein boost and a great texture as well.
Why I made these egg bites
Although I’d love to eat all these gorgeous Greek bites myself, that’s not why I made them. My dad has cancer and is going through some intensive chemotherapy treatment. He gets quite irritated when they wake him up at 5:30 am to take his vitals. So then he’s awake and ready to begin his day. And he wants his coffee and breakfast.
But the kitchen doesn’t open until 7:00 am. After hearing this story, last time he was here for his chemo, every evening we took him coffee and breakfast. That way, the med techs could heat it up in the morning right away when he wanted it. My son made the coffee and we put it in glass jars. Most days we remembered to bring a mug for them to heat the coffee in. But one day we forgot the mug so they heated it right in the jars!
Anyway, this time I’m trying to be prepared with healthy, yet delicious foods that are easy to heat up while he and mom are here. Mom stays with us for the week while Dad is in the hospital. I definitely don’t feel like cooking after working all day and driving back and forth to the hospital multiple times a day. So the food I’m making is not ENTIRELY for him. It’s also to make sure my mom and I get some nourishment.
Are Spanakopita Egg Muffins good for cancer patients?
Nutritionally, these egg bites are well suited for a cancer patient. The spinach provides lots of iron, and when your red blood cell count goes down from chemotherapy, you really need that extra iron. Spinach also provides important nutrients, fiber, and chlorophyll (which they say can help prevent cancer). The eggs provide a complete source of protein. Which is also super necessary when you’re body is fighting cancer.
These egg bites are also soft in texture, so he can easily eat them if his mouth is sore. The rest is mostly there for flavor, which Dad may or may not be able to taste. His taste buds are off some days. But he really appreciates good flavor on the days when he can taste it! I’m hoping he’ll get to really taste these. If not, I guess I’ll have to make them for him again once he can taste again.
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Spanakopita Egg Muffins with Sun Dried Tomato
- Prep Time: 25 min
- Cook Time: 25 min
- Total Time: 50 min
- Yield: 12 egg muffins 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Greek
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Beautiful, little bites of Greek goodness, these Spanakopita Egg Muffins are not only full of flavor, they are also super healthy.
Ingredients
- About 1/2 cup cooked quinoa or breadcrumbs
- 1 – 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (for better taste, use the oil from the sun dried tomatoes or marinated feta)
- 1/2 of a sweet onion, peeled & chopped
- 3 – 5 cloves garlic, peeled & chopped
- 8 – 9 oz. fresh spinach, chopped (can sub frozen but make sure to towel off excess moisture)
- 1 – 3 Tablespoons fresh chopped oregano
- 1/4 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes
- About 3 oz. feta (best if marinated – recipe here)
- 6 eggs
- Zest of 1/2 a lemon + about 1 – 2 teaspoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
- Bacon salt (or salt) & freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray or oil a 12-hole muffin tin or line with silicon cupcake liners. Divide the quinoa or breadcrumbs amongst the bottom of the muffins.
- In a large frying pan or saute pan over medium heat, add the olive oil, then the onions. Saute until soft and translucent. Add the garlic, spinach and oregano, then cover and cook until the spinach starts to wilt. Uncover and stir until the spinach cooks down and the liquid has mostly cooked off.
- Divide the spinach mixture amongst the muffins, then top each one with some crumbled feta and sun dried tomatoes. For best flavor, use block feta and crumble it by hand.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, lemon zest and lemon juice. Sprinkle lightly with bacon salt (or salt) and freshly ground pepper, then whisk to mix. Pour the egg mixture carefully into the muffin tin, filling each one most of the way up with eggs.
- Bake at 350 for 20 – 25 minutes or until the eggs are set in the middle. Let cool a bit before eating.
Notes
- If freezing, set the muffins on a tray and set them in the freezer until frozen, then put them in a bag and seal it shut.
- RECIPE SOURCE: Sumptuous Spoonfuls – https://www.sumptuousspoonfuls.com/ … © Copyright 2024, Sumptuous Spoonfuls. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to publish any of my images, please ask first. If you want to republish this recipe as your own, please re-write the recipe in your own words or link back to this post for the recipe.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 egg muffin
- Calories: 87
Keywords: Spanakopita, Greek, Eggs, Breakfast, Gluten Free, Heart Healthy, Cancer
Other things I’m making for my Dad this week
- Healthier Mini Monster Cookies except without the M&M’s. Because he wants me to leave out the sugary part. Also. I used a ripe banana in place of the zucchini since we have no garden zucchini yet. The cookie dough is waiting in the fridge so I can bake them up fresh for him.
- Asparagus Potato Bisque because he loves potatoes and asparagus and it’s such a comforting bowl.
- Since we have the 4th of July coming up, I thought these Red, White & Blue Berry Cheesecake Bites would be a festive way to cheer up the week.
- Focaccia with seasoned olive oil for dipping because the bread in the hospital is just sad. And my dad LOVES bread.
- I’m also thinking about cornish game hens with au gratin potatoes and green beans for dinner the night they get here. Recipes coming soon if they turn out well and if I have time/energy to take photos!
Red white and blue berry cheesecake bites 
