Gluten-Free Protein Pizza Bites

Ingredients

• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 4 oz mozzarella, shredded, plus 2 oz more to top
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup + 1 tbsp tapioca flour/starch
• 1 cup pizza sauce (store-bought or homemade)
• 2-3 oz pepperoni (optional; omit for vegetarian, or swap your favorite toppings)
• 3 tbsp butter, melted
• 1 garlic clove, minced

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 400F (205C). Stir the minced garlic into the melted butter. Add 1 tbsp of the garlic butter to a blender; use the rest to thoroughly grease each well of a mini or regular muffin tin (a jumbo tin won't set well).
• Add the cottage cheese, eggs, 4 oz mozzarella, salt and tapioca flour to the blender. Pour the tapioca in carefully and close to the surface so it doesn't mushroom-cloud everywhere. Blend on high until super smooth, about 1 minute.
• Fill each muffin well about halfway (overfilling stops them setting). Add a teaspoon of pizza sauce to the center of each, top with pepperoni and about 1 tbsp cheese.
• Bake 20-30 minutes until puffed and deep golden brown. Undercooked bites taste great but fall as they cool. Serve with warmed pizza sauce.

Makes about 1 dozen large pizza bites. From Alex Haffey (@_food_love_life_) on Instagram.