Pumpkin, Corn, Spinach and Feta Muffins

The-Natural-Food-Emporium-Anything-But-Ordinary-Pumpkin-Muffin-Recipe-Gluten-Free

A wholesome savoury gluten-free muffin, packed with veggies and topped with feta and crunchy seeds. They’re perfect for the lunchbox, mid-morning snack or breakfast on the run. We love them warm with a little butter.

Makes 14

Ingredients

Dry

100g / ⅔ cup fine cornmeal (polenta)

225g / 1½ cups Anything But Ordinary Plain Four

2 teaspoons psyllium husk powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon bicarb soda

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

60g / 1 cup grated cheddar cheese (100g total including topping)

80g / ⅔ cup feta, cubed (140g total including topping)

300g / 2 cups roast pumpkin (approx 600g pumpkin before prep)

200g / 1⅓ cups corn (2 small corn cobs)

60g / 1 cup spring onions, sliced

30g / 1 cup baby spinach leaves, roughly chopped

Wet

125g / ½ cup natural yoghurt

125g / ½ cup milk

80ml / ⅓ cup olive oil

4 eggs

Topping

60g / ½ cup feta, cut into 14 pieces

60g / ½ cup pumpkin seeds

40g / ⅔ cup grated cheddar cheese

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Spray muffin trays with olive oil and place a circle of baking paper in the base of each hole.

Prepare all the vegetables and topping -

Roast pumpkin can be cut into 2 cm chunks, corn steamed or microwaved for 1 minute each cob, then removed from husks, spring onions (full length) diced finely and spinach leaves roughly chopped but still in large pieces. Set aside. Grate the cheese and set aside 40g / ⅔ cup for the topping. Dice the feta for the filling and set the 14 larger pieces aside for the topping. Have the pumpkin seeds ready with the toppings.

Place fine cornmeal in a mixing bowl then sieve in the Anything But Ordinary Plain Four, psyllium husk powder, baking powder, bicarb soda, salt and pepper. Whisk together then add 60g / 1 cup of grated cheddar cheese and 80g / ⅔ cup feta and stir to distribute the cheeses. Add all the pumpkin, corn, spring onions and spinach and mix through.

In a separate bowl put the yoghurt, milk, oil and eggs. Using electric beaters, whisk for a couple of minutes, then pour into the flour and veg mix. Stir carefully to coat everything and incorporate all the flour, without breaking up the pumpkin. Scoop a half cup of mix into each muffin hole. They will be full to the brim if not higher. Place one large piece of feta on top of each muffin, generously sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and the grated cheese last.

Bake for 20 - 25 minutes, turning half way, until golden and skewer inserted comes out clean. They tend to soak up moisture once cooled so err on the cautious side rather than overcook. Eat them hot from the oven or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze separately for a quick snack/meal anytime. To reheat, they are best cut down the middle from top to bottom, fried in a pan or grilled in a sandwich press, then spread with some butter. Yum!