This recipe is a love letter to frozen mixed vegetables. You know the ones — the confetti-like mélange of corn, carrots, peas and green beans, cut perfectly like little gems. You might dismiss them as unsophisticated or old-fashioned, but that would be a mistake because they have so much to offer. They bring a playful, retro cheer to the table with practically zero effort, winning over even the pickiest eaters with their sweet, mellow flavor and Lite-Brite colors. Their fun vibe and ultimate convenience belie their substance, as they are nutritionally comparable to their fresh, cooked counterparts.
Grab a handful or two from their bag in the freezer to add vegetable power to mac-and-cheese, a simple pasta dinner or a batch of fried rice. Serve them as a nostalgic side dish, simply seasoned with a little butter and salt, or taken up a notch stirred with a bit of miso. Drop them into a pot of simmering chicken noodle or tomato soup. Toss them into scrambled eggs or an omelet. There are so many possibilities.
This recipe combines this colorful medley with eggs in a muffin tin for an easy, make-ahead breakfast or snack. The vegetables are are quickly thawed in a skillet with a sauteed onion. Once that has cooled you stir it, along with some shredded cheddar cheese (or any kind of cheese you like), into a bowlful of eggs that have been beaten with a little milk.
You then scoop the mixture into a muffin tin, top with more cheese and bake until the egg mixture is set and the cheese is melted. The resulting egg bites are tender, savory, packed with nutrition, and are bursting with vibrant color and nuggets of sweet flavor.
With so little effort and such high payoff, these little egg bites stand as a reminder of how versatile these mixed frozen vegetables really are.
