Lovely spears of asparagus are on sale at the grocery store, which is a sure sign that spring is on the way.  Of course, we are all hoping for a big thaw in some parts of the country and in my area, we are expecting the usual spring snow or two.  In fact, weather may be coming in this weekend, but for now, I am enjoying the sunny, but cold, days and the sight of asparagus in the grocery store.

So that’s the inspiration for this simple, very low carb recipe for ham and asparagus egg muffins.  They’re muffins only in the sense that they’re baked in muffin cups.  They make a wonderful breakfast-on-the-run — just grab one or two, pop ’em in the microwave and take them out the door with you.  One thing I wouldn’t recommend on this, and I tried it, is to use muffin papers with it.  The paper just sticks to the egg or vice-versa and it’s a bit of a mess.  Grease the muffin wells with butter or baking spray to get the entire cavity covered and they should come out fairly cleanly.

Ham & Asparagus Egg Muffins

8 Eggs
1/2 cup Ham, cubed
4 to 6 speaks Asparagus, chopped
1/4 cup Mini Peppers, chopped
3 tablespoons Heavy Cream
1/2 cup Ricotta Cheese
1 cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper

Preheat the oven to 355 degrees (F). Prepare a 12-well or two 6-well muffins tins by spraying with cooking spray or coating with butter or oil.  Make sure to come all the way up the sides.

In a large bowl, break the eggs and add the cream, salt and pepper and ricotta cheese and mix well with a whisk. Add the ham, asparagus and peppers, then stir in 3/4 cup of the cheese.

Use a 1/4 cup measure to scoop and fill each of the muffin cups to about 3/4 full  with the egg batter.

Bake for 25 minutes, then sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top of each muffin and cook an additional 10 minutes.

Let cool before serving or putting into storage bags to put in the refrigerator.  Heat in the microwave for about 30 seconds or eat at room temperature, if preferred.

Makes 12 egg muffins

Nutrition Info per muffin:
Calories: 129 Fat: 9.6 g Net Carbs: 1.3 g Protein: 8.9 g