Muffins, Muffins, Muffins

Mr Fun is a little bit fussy about food. He has never eaten from a spoon (he clamps his mouth shut & cries as the spoon approaches!). He will not eat anything mushy, sloppy, soft, or otherwise resembling baby food (no steamed vegies, no purees, no yoghurt, no pasta, no bolognaise sauce, etc). Mr Fun likes sausages, chicken nuggets, cannelloni bean patties and dried apple. But most of all he likes carbohydrates - toast, sandwiches, rice/corn cakes, arrowroot biscuits, dry cornflakes, pancakes, hot cross buns and... MUFFINS.

Muffins are great, because they can hide lots of fruit and veg, while still giving the appearance of being a carbohydrate. I acquired a basic muffin recipe a couple of months ago & have since been making a couple of batches of muffins per week. I make lots of different varieties and freeze them (most mothers of babies have a freezer full of different purees - I have a variety of muffins!!!). Mr Fun will eat 2 muffins a day, containing all sorts hidden goodness (eg. carrot, apple, pumpkin, spinach, raspberries, cheese). So whatever else he eats (or spits out) during the day, at least I know he's getting some food that is both filling and nutritious.

Sweet fruit/veg muffin recipe
2 cups of SR Flour (either white or wholemeal)
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar (either raw or white)
1/2 cup oil (I usually use rice bran oil)
2 cups grated fruit / veg (eg. carrot, pumpkin, apple, pear, frozen berries)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract.
dash of milk to combine

Mix oil, eggs and vanilla. Add flour, sugar, grated fruit/veg and cinnamon. Mix lightly, then add some milk to combine. Mixture should not be dry, but should still be sticky (rather than runny). Scoop the mixture into muffin trays (makes 18 kid-sized muffins, or 12 large muffins). Bake at 180 degrees (or 160 fan-forced) for 25 mins, or until golden.

Apple and raspberry

Savoury fruit/veg muffin recipe

2 cups of SR Flour (either white or wholemeal)
2 eggs
1 cup grated tasty cheese
1/2 cup oil (I usually use rice bran oil)
2 cups veg (eg. grated carrot, chopped spinach, grated zucchini)
dash of milk to combine

Mix oil, eggs and vanilla. Add flour, sugar and cinnamon. Mix lightly, then add some milk to combine. Mixture should not be dry, but should still be sticky (rather than runny). Scoop the mixture into muffin trays (makes 18 kid-sized muffins, or 12 large muffins). Bake at 180 degrees (or 160 fan-forced) for 25 mins, or until golden.