Spinach Feta Spring Onions Muffins

Green Muffins today ! Cause it’s the week end, it’s Brunch mode at home and I feel like having something easy to bake a little sweet and savory, and it’s a good way to stuff some leafy greens in my kids food :).

I am sure you have a similar recipe at home, but if not, don’t hesitate to try it ! Spinach are super rich in Calcium and antioxydants polyphenols, real feta cheese rich in protein and Calcium, and we use Extra Virgin Olive Oil instead of butter in the dough, a great source of healthy omega 3 fatty acids.

Nb: if you don’t have feta use soft goat cheese instead, it works too. I have also tried them with GF flour blend from Bob’s Redmill and they also turned out well, so it can be made GF very easily.

If you have them as a meal, complete with nutrient dense food like a green salad combined with healthy avocado fats and some roasted nuts or seeds..You can add some proteins on the side like smoked salmon or eggs if you are not vegetarian, and to make it a completely balanced meal, add some low GI fruits for dessert like a berry salad with lemon zest and mint.

Enjoy !

Ingredients (Makes 12 small muffins)

• 2 cups self-raising flour (for GF substitute by GF blend and add 2 tsp GF baking powder and 1 tsp salt)
• 125 g baby spinach roughly shredded
• 3 chopped spring onions 
• 2 tbsp fresh thyme  
• 135 g crumbled real feta (extra yum with soft marinated one)
• 2 tablespoons finely grated parmesan 
• 1 cup butter milk (replace with milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice if you don’t have any)
• 80 g EVOO
• 1 free range egg
• 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
• Cracked pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons finely grated parmesan and poppy seeds to top your muffins before going to the oven

Directions

1. Preheat oven at 190°C fan, forced
2. Grease with EVOO or lay with cooking paper your muffin tinSift your flour into a bowl, add your nutmeg, cracked pepper, parmesan, spring onions and shredded spinach.
3. Stir. Add the feta and combine gently. In another bowl whisk your liquid ingredients until well combined. Add the wet to the flour mixture and use a metal spoon to stir until just combined (do not over mix to keep big feta chunks).
4. Transfer to your baking tin, top with reserved parmesan and poppy seeds and put in the oven for 25 min, checking after 20 min and reducing to 180 if it turns golden to quickly (adjust / muffin sizes and oven) 
5. Once done, left to cool down for 5/10 min and enjoy warm with a nice salad !