Cheesy vegetable muffins

(makes 12 muffins)
Adapted from Healthy Little Foodies

My little munchkin has been sick lately, and although this seems to be the usual life of parents in winter, it is still sad whenever it happens. It is sad to see her sniffly 'yucky' nose, her lethargic eyes, feel her feverish forehead and especially to see her not want to eat! We have had a lot more quiet days at home lately and at least we have been enjoying a bit of baking. We tried these veggie muffins to spark some interest in eating (and to get some vegetables in her), it semi-worked and at the very least it is fun to hear her exclaim "I see peas!" and "I see corn!" as she picks at her food :) These muffins are quite moist and dense and the cheese adds reasonable flavour, though probably I would add an extra pinch of salt (or maybe use a stronger cheese) for adults.

Prep time: 20 minutes 

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

1 medium (250 g) zucchini

1 small (100g) carrot

1/2 (50g) red capsicum 

1/4 cup (30g) frozen peas

1/4 cup (30g) frozen corn

1 cup (125g) Cheddar cheese, grated

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup plain Greek yoghurt

1/4 cup olive oil

2 eggs

2 cups (250g) plain wholemeal flour

2 tsp baking powder

100g diced ham (optional)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C.

2. Grate the zucchini, carrot and capsicum. Place in a clean dish towel and wrap it around the vegetables. Squeeze all the juice out.

3. Place the zucchini, carrots and capsicum into a large mixing bowl along with the peas and corn. Add the cheese, milk, yoghurt, olive oil and eggs. Stir until combined.

4. Mix the flour and baking powder together in a separate bowl, then slowly add to the wet ingredients. Fold in gently until just combined, but be careful not to over-stir, otherwise the muffins will be too tough. 

5. Line a 12-hole muffin tray with muffin cases and spray with oil (if you have a good-quality muffin tray that is non-stick, then you don't need the muffin cases, but should still spray with oil). Spoon the mixture equally between the muffins. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a skewer or knife comes out clean. 

6. Serve warm!

Note: To store, ensure the muffins are completely cooled before putting away, and store at room temperature in an air-tight container lined with a paper towel to absorb moisture. It should keep for about 3 to 4 days. You can also freeze for up to a couple months. For extra recipe tips, check out Healthy little foodies website (linked above).