Cheesy Veggie-Quinoa Bites

• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil, or as needed
• 1 1/3 cups water
• 2/3 cup quinoa
• 1/2 cup cauliflower florets, or more to taste
• 3 carrots, shredded
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, or more to taste
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh kale
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon flax seeds (optional)
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds (optional)
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• salt and ground black pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a mini muffin tin with oil.
2. Bring water and quinoa to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until quinoa is tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain any excess liquid and let cool briefly.
3. Place a steamer insert into a saucepan and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Bring water to a boil. Add cauliflower, cover, and steam until tender, 2 to 6 minutes.
4. Mix cooked quinoa, steamed cauliflower, carrots, Cheddar cheese, eggs, kale, flour, flax seeds, chia seeds, garlic, onion powder, salt, and pepper together in a bowl. Spoon mixture into the muffin cups and press down lightly.
5. Bake in the preheated oven until edges are light brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool in pan, about 5 minutes. Remove bites from pan and let cool, about 5 minutes more.

vegetable oil, water, quinoa, cauliflower, carrots, cheddar cheese, eggs, fresh kale, flour, flax seeds, chia seeds, garlic, onion powder, salt

Taken from www.allrecipes.com/recipe/262641/cheesy-veggie-quinoa-bites/ (may not work)