Pumpkin, spinach and semi sun-dried tomato muffins (hello high protein, low fat)

My life has changed and so has my appetite. So my dear Clever Muffin has to change with me. Expect more savoury. More high protein. Bigger bites. And who knows what else.

Bit of metaphor for my life really. Very poetic. In a Year 12 literature essay kinda way.

These muffins have two whole cups of pumpkin in them, a cup of spinach, NO BUTTER OR OIL (I know!) and seeds. A good high protein low sugar fix.

I’ve spent the past 10 years behind a desk and computer. And now I’m spending the majority of the next year at a drama studio. Because I can. And because I want to.

And I AM SO HUNGRY!! SO VERY VERY HUNGRY! The usual amount of food I used to take to work is NOT CUTTING IT.

I’m all sugar crashes and rumbling tummies. So here is a spate of new savoury muffins which are helping me through my day.

Feel free to swap out the semi sundried tomatoes with feta, I was just a bit over feta because I I’d just made these awesome spinach and feta muffins.

Ingredients

2 cups (500 grams raw) cubed pumpkin or butternut squash, 1/2-inch cubes
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup of baby spinach, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
3 tablespoons sunflower seeds kernels
3/4 cup / 30g freshly grated Parmesan
50 grams semi sundried tomatoes (or 100 grams cubed low fat feta)
2 teaspoons wholegrain mustard
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup / 180 ml milk
2 cups flour (I used half wholemeal, half plain)
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
1 tablespoon of pumpkin seeds, to top

Method

1. Preheat oven to 405F / 200C, with rack in the top third. Use spray oil to prepare patty pans in a muffin tin.
2. Sprinkle the olive oil and some salt and pepper over the cubed pumpkin. Toss well and turn onto a baking sheet or roasting pan. Arrange in a single layer and bake for 15 – 25 minutes or until cooked through entirely. Set aside to cool.
3. Transfer two-thirds of the pumpkin to a large mixing bowl along with the spinach, parsley, sunflower seeds, parmesan, the semi sundried tomatoes, and all of the mustard. Gently fold together. In a separate bowl beat the eggs and milk together and add to the pumpkin mix. Sift the flour and baking powder onto the pumpkin mix, top with the salt and a generous dose of freshly ground black pepper and fold together just until the batter comes together, be careful not to over mix.
4. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan, filling each hole 3/4 full, top each muffin with a bit of the remaining pumpkin and pumpkin seeds (see photo up above).
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the tops and sides of the muffins are golden, and the muffins have set completely. Let cool for a couple minutes then turn out onto a cooling rack.

Makes: 12 muffins.

Healthy: 155 calories a muffin.

Storage: They freeze well, otherwise keep in an airtight container.

Source: Modified from 101 Cookbooks, Pumpkin and Feta muffins

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