This post was created in partnership with the American Pecan Council. All opinions are our own. Looking for nutritious breakfast or lunch ideas? Aren’t we all. Many readers have been asking us for quick nutritious recipes for busy mornings and office desk lunches. So Alex and I put our heads together and came up with a new trick: mini frittatas! Basically a muffin made of egg, they’re easy to meal prep and grab as you’re headed out the door. Refrigerate or freeze ’em, and you can eat off them all week. The best part: they’re so tasty! They’re filled with colorful veggies and crunchy pecans for added protein and nutrients.
Why make mini frittatas? So many reasons.
What’s so great about these pecan mini frittatas? Alex and I had never made them before, but they’re now part of our easy breakfast and lunch recipe staples! They’d also work for a fancy brunch. When you’re hangry, they’re the perfect snack. (Or to satisfy a cranky child…or spouse. You get it!) Some great things about mini frittatas:
They’re easy to make. There’s no sauteing veggies required, so you won’t dirty any pans. Just chop up the veggies and pecans, whisk the eggs, and throw them in the oven!You can serve them cold or room temp. A key to office desk lunches and busy mornings: you don’t have to bother with reheating! They taste great at any temperature.Store them refrigerated or frozen to grab on the go. They’ll stay in the fridge for 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. They’re nutritious! Mostly eggs and veggies, pecans bring additional protein and nutrients. Speaking of that…
What’s great about pecans?
Pecans are the star ingredient in these mini frittatas because, well: we love them! Pecans pack a nutritional punch and are the ultimate sidekick for your busy life. The Original Supernut is:
Nutrient dense. Pecans are a good source of fiber and contain 3 grams of plant-based protein, helping you feel fuller longer. They’re among the highest in “good” monounsaturated fats, and flavonoids and essential minerals (see “Heart smart!” section below).Seriously versatile. You can use them in anything, from this frittata to eating them by the handful! See below for a few more tips. Heart smart! Scientific evidence suggests that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts, like pecans, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease. One serving of pecans (28g) has 18g unsaturated fat and only 2g saturated fat. (Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration)
To learn more about pecans nutrition, go to AmericanPecan.com.
A few tips: how to make mini frittatas
What are mini frittatas, anyway? They’re basically a muffin made out of eggs! They’re similar to a mini quiche, but quiche has a crust. And who has time to bother with crust? There are a few things to know when you make these mini frittatas:
They puff while baking, but deflate while cooling. Because they’re made with mostly egg, don’t be surprised when you see these mini frittatas rise well above the baking sheet while baking. The moment you remove them from the oven, they’ll deflate back to the size you see in the photos. Roughly chop the pecans into irregular pieces. To get a nice crunch and the visual you see here, don’t chop the pecans into a fine dust. Instead, keep them a bit larger and irregular shaped. Liberally butter the tin. You’ll want these frittatas to pop out right away, so liberally butter the inside of the muffin tin and spread it around evenly.
Ways to use pecans in recipes
There are so many ways to use pecans outside of the traditional American pecan pie! Alex and I love making pecan recipes that are savory (like these mini frittatas), or honestly just eating them by the handful. Here are a few other ways we love to use pecans in recipes:
Glazed pecans: Make glazed pecans by heating them in a hot pan with a little maple syrup! They add the perfect crunch to salads, or eat them by the handful. They’re a nutrient packed treat for kids. Our toddler Larson loves to ask with a grin, “Mama, can I have a pecan?”Homemade granola: Pecans are our favorite nut to throw into granola, hands down. They have just the right nutty flavor and lightly crunchy texture. Throw this granola over yogurt, or eat by the handful.
This pecan mini frittata recipe is…
Vegetarian and gluten-free.
More lunch ideas
Outside of these mini frittatas, here are a few more of our favorite lunch ideas: No reviews
Simple Chickpea Salad A 5-minute fast lunch idea! It’s easy to throw together: the perfect plant based desk lunch or quick fix dinner.Healthy Banana Bread Muffins These banana bread muffins are lightly sweet and made mostly of oats and bananas! They’re blender muffins so they’re easy to make at home. Throw in a handful of pecans for even more nutrients!Pear Sandwich This unique combination of sweet and savory totally hits the spot. Spread bread with cream cheese, then top with crunchy pecans and juicy pear slices.
