Rider Recipe: Easy Barn Breakfast

It can be difficult to juggle busy mornings and healthy eating habits, especially when you need fuel to get you through a long day at the barn or horse show. Try bypassing the prepackaged breakfast bars and reach for your freezer instead. These Italian-inspired “muffins” will fill you up with long-lasting energy, and you can make them in advance, freeze and reheat in the microwave as needed. Snack on them as-is or serve on your favorite breakfast bread, such as an English muffin, bagel or wrap.

Ingredients

• 1 cup cooked, shredded chicken
• 1/3 cup sun-ripened tomatoes in olive oil
• 1/4 cup chopped frozen spinach (thawed and drained)
• 1/4 cup grated Asiago cheese
• 6 eggs
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a muffin tin.
2. Loosely layer the first four ingredients in order of appearance, filling muffin tins three-quarters full.
3. In separate bowl, beat eggs with salt and pepper until well combined. Pour mixture over other ingredients in muffin cups, allowing egg to settle as you fill. Egg mixture should just cover top of cheese.
4. Cook for 18 to 20 minutes or until firm in the middle, checking with a knife or fork. Let cool, place on parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze. Once frozen, place in freezer-safe, air-tight container until ready to serve.
5. When reheating in microwave, reduce power setting or use defrost option to reheat, which will reduce hardening or rubbery texture around outer layers of muffin.

Stephanie Staton is a freelance writer based in Kentucky.

This article originally appeared in the January 2016 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!