The last part in our series on health tuckshop food (in YOU of 24 Sept) looks at wholesome snacks and treats. These muffins are a great way of introducing children to spinach.
Makes 24.
INGREDIENTS: 6 x 250 ml (6 c) cake flour; 45 ml (3 T) baking powder; 15 ml (1 T) salt; 10 ml (2 t) dried mixed herbs; 500-750 ml (2-3 c) grated Cheddar cheese or low-fat Edam cheese; 2 bunches (300 g each) spinach, washed well, finely chopped, boiled and most of the liquid squeezed out; 250 ml (1c) oil; 250 ml (1 c) milk; 250 ml (1 c) water; 6 eggs, beaten.
METHOD: Preheat the oven to 180 C. Grease muffin pan hollows with margarine or nonstick food spray. Sift the dry ingredients together into a large bowl. Add the cheese and spinach and mix through. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix. Fill the hollows in the muffin pans three quarters of the way with batter and bake for 25 minutes or until done and a skewer inserted in the centre of the muffin comes out clean. Add a little more water (about 100 ml) to the remaining batter if it has to stand while you’re waiting for the muffins to bake. The batter stiffens when it stands for some time.