Spinach & Cream Cheese Muffins

My husband often asks me what my favourite thing to bake is. My answer: muffins (easy, no pressure baking with instant gratification). Anything nicer than a freshly baked muffin?

For convenience I use fresh baby spinach, but you can use regular spinach, silverbeet or frozen spinach if you prefer instead.

Makes 6 large or 10 - 12 standard size muffins

SPINACH MUFFIN BATTER

spinach, 120g fresh or 70g steamed/blanched/wilted/defrosted from frozen (about 1/2 cup, excess moisture having been squeezed out)

herbs (thyme/parsley/chives/dill or a combination works well), a handful fresh or 15ml (1 tablespoons) dried

eggs, 2

milk, 250g (250ml or 1 cup)

olive oil, 50g (60ml or 1/4 cup)

plain/cake/all-purpose flour, 300g (500ml or 2 cups)

baking powder, 20ml (4 teaspoons)

fine salt, 5ml (1 teaspoon) - optional depending on your taste

plain cream cheese, about 1 heaped tablespoon (20g) per muffin

To start, preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) and line a large 6-hole or a 12-hole standard size muffin tin with baking cups (or grease well with butter).

If you are using fresh spinach, blanch, steam or wilt the spinach before squeezing out excess the moisture (it should weight about 70g after you have squeezed the moisture out) then chop it fine (or defrost frozen spinach before chopping).

Place it in a large mixing bowl, then add all the wet ingredients including the herbs (finely chop if using fresh herbs). Mix well.

Add the dry ingredients.

Gently mix together until just combined.

Divide the mixture among the baking cups (about 2/3 full).

Top each muffin with a generous dollop of cream cheese (about 20g or 1 heaped tablespoon).

Bake for approximately 20 - 25 minutes (or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean).

Delicious warm out of the oven.

These keep for a couple of days stored in an airtight container in the fridge (or freezer for up to three months).