Herby Veg Muffins

This is a great, versatile savoury muffin recipe for using leftover roast vegetables. These are particularly delicious topped with cream cheese and a dollop of relish.

Makes 10 - 12 standard size muffins

HERBY VEGETABLE MUFFIN BATTER

cooked vegetables (pumpkin/butternut/kumara/capsicum/caramelized onion), about 500g (500ml or 2 cups)

feta cheese, 100g

spinach, 120g fresh or 70g cooked (about 1/2 cup - excess moisture having been squeezed out)

herbs (thyme/parsley/chives), a handful fresh or 30ml (2 tablespoons) dried

eggs, 2

milk, 250g (250ml or 1 cup)

oil, 50g (60ml or 1/4 cup) - olive or grapeseed oil is my preference

plain/all-purpose flour, 300g (500ml or 2 cups) - (cake wheat flour in South Africa)

baking powder, 20ml (4 teaspoons)

fine salt, 5ml (1 teaspoon) - optional depending on your taste

sesame seeds (white or black), to taste, for sprinkling on top - optional

TO SERVE

cream cheese, about a tablespoon per muffin - optional

relish, about a tablespoon per muffin - optional

fresh herbs - optional

Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) and line a 12-hole standard size muffin tin with baking cups (or grease well with butter).

Roughly chop the pumpkin (if needed) and capsicum (or leftover roast vegetables if using).

Roughly chop the feta cheese (or crumble into chunks).

If you are using fresh spinach, blanch, steam or wilt the spinach before squeezing out excess the moisture (it should weight about 70g after you have squeezed the moisture out) then chop it fine (or defrost frozen spinach before chopping).

Place these in a large mixing bowl, then add all the wet ingredients including the herbs (finely chop the herbs if using fresh herbs). Mix well.

Add the dry ingredients (except for the sesame seeds, if using).

Gently mix together until just combined.

Divide the mixture among the baking cups (about 2/3 full) before sprinkling with sesame seeds.

Bake for approximately 20 - 25 minutes (or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean).

Delicious warm out of the oven or cold topped with cream cheese and relish or chutney.

These keep for a couple of days stored in an airtight container in the fridge (or freezer for up to three months).