Spinach muffins

I cooked these as I love muffins for their simplicity. Chuck everything in the food processor and mix, pour into muffin cases and bake. The perfect thing to bake with children as you can’t ‘muff’ them up.

But this could easily be cup cakes or pancakes or cookies with spinach blended in. The concept is the same, using something accepted and familiar as a vehicle to deliver something not as easily eaten. Not hiding, scaffolding progress.

Spinach for all it’s supposed badness as a vegetable is really quite a pussy cat too. It blends in so there is no textural element and doesn’t impart taste so it’s perfect to add to foods without ‘ruining’ them.

Much of this could be in the marketing. If I were talking about these to a child, they would be Hulk, Emerald, Monster, Swamp or Creeper (from Minecraft) muffins. Even if older children may roll their eyes, it’s still softening the approach.

I made regular sized muffins but would be advising making mini ones to start with (cook for less time, if so). Smaller is always easier.

Recipe *

1 cup of oat flour (grind regular oats)
1/8 cup of ground linseeds (optional but an omega 3 boost)
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
Pinch salt
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ cup sugar (I use either coconut sugar or ½ cup of softened dates)

Mix all the dry ingredients together, then add the rest

1 cup of packed spinach leaves
¼ cup butter or oil
1 egg
1 large, ripe banana
½ tsp vanilla

Whiz everything together in the food processor, pour into muffin tins and bake in a pre-heated oven at 190 for approx. 20 minutes.

*Adapted from the Joy Food Sunshine blog

Judith is an AOTA accredited picky eating advisor and internationally certified nutritional therapist. She works with 100+ families every year resolving fussy eating and returning pleasure and joy to the meal table.

Judith is also mum to two boys and is the author of Creating Confident Eaters and Winner Winner I Eat Dinner.

Learn more about Judith here: https://theconfidenteater.com/about/