Mix & Match Muffins

I always considered myself to be pretty organised, but returning to work while trying to juggle childcare and providing 3 meals a day for my 1 year old (not to mention packed lunches for myself and hubby, oh and evening meals…) often leaves me searching the kitchen for anything quick and easy that can be eaten on the go!

As Reuben  is getting older, he’s becoming increasingly independent and prefers to feed himself whenever possible – even if that means dipping his whole hand into yoghurt or porridge before licking it off, and inevitably smearing it all over his face. So, I have been experimenting with some savoury muffins that can be grabbed for a snack on the go, or even as part of a lunch. Reuben loves them and squeals with delight when he sees me unwrapping one for him!

They are really versatile so use the ‘base’ recipe and experiment with other flavour combos. They can also be frozen so are a handy go-to if food stocks (and time) are running low.

Ingredients

‘Base’
115g wholemeal spelt flour
115g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
75g melted butter / margarine / oil (rapeseed or sunflower)
175ml milk / almond milk / soya milk
1 egg, beaten

Flavour combo #1
1 small courgette ~80g, finely grated
1 small beetroot ~80g, finely grated (fresh or pre-cooked but not soaked in vinegar)
1 small red pepper ~80g, diced
1 tsp harissa

Flavour combo #2
1 small carrot ~80g, finely grated
1 apple (I used Granny Smith), peeled and coarsely grated
40g sweetcorn (frozen or tinned)
1.5 tsp cumin
1.5 tsp garam masala

Flavour combo #3
1 medium sweet potato ~160g, finely grated
50g feta, crumbled
Juice from 1 lemon, and the rind of 1/2 the lemon
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped

Flavour combo #4
1 small courgette ~80g, finely grated
1 small beetroot ~80g, finely grated (fresh or pre-cooked but not soaked in vinegar)
50g sweetcorn (frozen or tinned)
1.5 tsp cumin
1.5 tsp garam masala

NB/ feel free to experiment and chuck in whatever veg you have knocking around. As a general rule, your added ‘flavour’ ingredients should weigh ~200-250g.

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees / 160 degrees fan / gas mark 4
2. Place 12 muffin cases into a muffin tin (you may need 2x 6-hole tins)
3. Place the dry ingredients (flours, baking powder +/- spices) into a large bowl and mix
4. Add all the wet ingredients (butter/oil, milk, egg + your chosen veg combo)
5. Mix together using a wooden spoon until the mixture is just combined – do not over mix!
6. Divide the mixture between the 12 muffin cases
7. Bake in the oven for 20-25 mins, or until a skewer comes out clean
8. Leave the muffins to cool on a wire rack

They are best eaten in the first couple of days, although they do keep in the fridge for up to a week if stored in an airtight container. You can always give them a 10 second blast in the microwave to freshen them up if starting to feel a little stale – or, pop them in the freezer and enjoy them another day!