It’s August folks, and slowly yet surely the summer sunlight is dwindling and thoughts of another school year start creeping in. This month also marks the peak of the summer harvest, where grocery stores, roadside stands and farmers markets abound with piles of fresh, seasonal produce. So, in an attempt to streamline this busy parenting life, we’ve come up with a way to make use of summer’s glorious bounty and prep for yet another year of the school lunch grind.
A savoury muffin is a great way to add variety to school lunches and it’s a fabulous stand-in for a sandwich. Bonus: If you have a frozen supply on deck, it’s a zero-prep way of getting lunches together in a flash.
Muffin recipes are always adaptable, too. While we’ve suggested fresh dill and green onion to boost flavour, if you have more selective eaters at home, you can leave those ingredients out altogether, or add them to half the muffin batter. You can add your own favourites, too. Try adding a little cubed smoked ham, some chopped roasted red pepper or sundried tomatoes, basil instead of dill, or replace the cheddar with your favourite cheese.
We are huge proponents of getting kids involved in the kitchen over at How to Eat, and this is a fabulous recipe to make with kids. Measuring, mixing, grating cheese and cracking eggs are all appropriate cooking skills for kids as young at 2 and as old as 20! They may not be perfect and the kitchen will get messy, but always know, it’s for the greater good. You’re teaching your child an essential life skill.
Now, enjoy the rest of the summer!
You’ll Need
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1.5 cups packed, grated zucchini (about 1 medium)
- 1 cup grated old cheddar cheese (about 125g)
- 2 green onions (thinly sliced)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- 1.5 cups buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup canola oil
Prep and Cook
- 1Preheat oven to 375F. Spray 2 muffin tins with non-stick spray. In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients - flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and garlic powder. Add zucchini, cheese, onions and dill and stir until well combined.
- 2In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, eggs and canola oil. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until just mixed through and no dry flour remains. Batter will be very thick.
- 3In 1/4 cup scoops, transfer batter into muffin tins. Each cup should be about 3/4 full. Fills 16-18 cups.
- 4Bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick stuck in the centre of a muffin comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in muffin tin, remove and transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.