Pizza muffins (for toddlers and adults alike)

I’ve been making these muffins for Aris since he was about 15 months old. Every time, I tried to make them taste better and this is the final version.

Filled with all the good stuff, they not only appeal to my now 2 and a half year old son, but to me as well. Granted, I eat them with Sriracha and sometimes with a side of crispy chilli oil for dipping, but that’s me.

Hope your little one, and you, enjoy them!

 

 

 

 Pizza muffins, toddler approved

 

Yield: 12 muffins

 

Ingredients

3 large eggs

50 g extra virgin olive oil (yes, it’s grams not ml / don’t measure in ml because it’s a different quantity)

2 tsp hulled hemp seeds

Pinch of sea salt

Good pinch of Greek dried oregano

Good pinch of onion powder

Pinch of garlic powder

¼ tsp sweet paprika

⅛ tsp turmeric powder

Black pepper, 3-4 turns of the pepper mill

50 g courgette, coarsely grated (don’t squeeze out the juices)

30 g peeled carrot, finely grated (don’t squeeze out the juices)

20 g fresh spinach leaves, finely chopped

50 g Emmental cheese (or Greek Graviera cheese), grated (if you are making these only for adults, add another 50 g cheese)

110 g grape tomatoes, chopped (you can use cherry tomatoes as well although they have a higher water content)

125 g all-purpose flour

1½ tsp baking powder

 

Special equipment: muffin pan. I use silicone muffin cases. If you have the classic one, then lightly butter the cups and flour them, tapping out excess flour.

 

Preparation

Preheat your oven to 180°C.

In a medium-sized bowl, add the eggs and olive oil and whisk with a wire whisk until well combined. Add the hemp seeds, the salt and all the spices and whisk to combine. Add the grated courgette and carrot and whisk. Add the chopped spinach and the grated cheese and mix with a spatula. Add the chopped tomatoes and mix. Finally, add the flour and baking powder and mix well, making sure there are no streaks of flour in the mixture.

Divide the mixture equally among 12 muffin cups and bake for 30-35 minutes and until they have taken a nice golden brown color.

Leave to cool before removing from the pan. They’re more delicious fresh but you can certainly keep them in the fridge for 2-3 days or in the freezer for 2-3 weeks, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and then put in freezer/refrigerator appropriate bags.

I always heat them in the microwave when using from the fridge or freezer until piping hot. Don’t cut them to cool them down quicker because they will dry up and become tough.