Crunchy Courgette Gardener’s Muffins

I’ve been trying out a few variations of this seasonal muffin, using our course people as guinea pigs! Low in processed sugar, these satisfying baked treats are great to nibble on for an extra boost of energy when gardening. They also make a great breakfast muffin.The recipe is very flexible and can easily be adapted to include what you have in your garden and kitchen. The seeds add a crunchy chewiness, the sultanas a light sweetness. This recipe is low in sugar, however the muffins also taste great without any sugar added, if you prefer something less sweet. I can see how they would work as a savoury version too and will be trying ideas out!

They are a great way to use up courgette gluts, including any which have grown to marrow-like proportions in this wet weather….

If you are using monster sized courgettes, peel and deseed before grating. Otherwise, I grate them whole and unpeeled.

Muffins are a regular afternoon tea treat on our courses, as they are easy to hold wherever we are and if someone is too full after the big lunches, easy for them to take home. Charles finds it impossible not to have two! Course mornings are busy in the kitchen so I always use my American cup measures, much quicker than weighing things on scales. if you don’t have any, I recommend buying some – they are widely available (plastic, metal, ceramic, copper, glass..) and so useful.

This recipe makes 24 muffins because I am a great believer in using up all of the oven space and we have two trays. They keep for several days in an airtight tin and also freeze well.

+++ I’ve given both vegan and dairy versions here+++

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups wholemeal self raising flour

1 1/2 cups white self raising flour (or 3 cups of wholemeal SR flour)

1 tsp baking powder

2 tsp cinnamon or 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp ginger

1/2 cup soft brown sugar

2 cups shredded courgette, unpeeled (see comment above)

1 cup shredded apple, unpeeled

1 cup shredded carrot, unpeeled

1 cup light oil (sunflower, rapeseeed) or 1 cup melted butter, cooled

1 cup sultanas

2 cups pumpkin seeds (or chopped walnuts, or sunflower seeds, or a mixture of whatever you fancy that is nutty or seedy)

4 large eggs or vegan flaxseed equivalent ( 4 ‘eggs’ = 4 tbsp ground flaxseed (linseed) + 10 tbsp cool water, mixed in a dish, left for 5 minutes, then used as eggs)

and

2 x 12 hole muffin tins

paper cases if you want to use them

 

Preheat the oven to 180˚C (356˚F, Gas Mark 4)

Grate the carrot, courgette and apple using a food processor or sturdy cheese grater.

In a large bowl, mix the flour, spices, sugar and baking powder. You may need to mix the sugar in with your fingers.

Stir in the grated veg.

Next, beat together the eggs/flax eggs with the melted butter/oil and pour into the bowl of ingredients. Add the seeds and sultanas and stir until everything is thoroughly combined.

All of the mixture should be sticky, you may need to add a little liquid here if it needs it (dairy/nut milk, or water) but not too much as the courgette and apple makes the muffins very moist.

Share the mixture equally between the muffin tins and bake for 20-25 minutes until cooked. Cool for 5 minutes in the tins (10 minutes or so if not using any cases), then take out and cool on cooling racks.

Enjoy!

The next recipe will also include courgettes, along with golden beetroot and carrots – a Thai inspired raw vegan salad.