Delicious savoury muffins, stuffed full of roasted squash, pumpkin seeds and pumpkin oil. Goat's cheese adds delicious umami notes and there's a bit of additional flavour with fresh tarragon or sage leaves. If you want to add even more depth of flavour, why not opt for some cocoa powder? Ideal for a leisurely brunch as well as lunch boxes.
350gbutternut squash fleshroughly chopped into 2-3 cm (1 inch) pieces.
40gpumpkin seeds
300gflour(I use wholemeal spelt)
2tspbaking powder
½tspbicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
¼tspsalt
2tbspcocoa powder
100gsoft goat’s cheese
2large eggs
200mlnatural yoghurt
50mlunrefined pumpkin seed oil
50mlsunflower oil
100mlmilk
good grinding of black pepper
4spigstarragonor about ten sage leaves - finely chopped
Instructions
Turn the oven on to 200℃ (180℃ fan, 400℉, Gas 6).
Whilst you're waiting for it to heat up, prepare the squash. Roast it in the olive oil for 20 minutes, or until just tender.
1 tbsp olive oil, 350 g butternut squash flesh
Toast the pumpkin seeds by dry frying them in a pan over a moderate heat for a few minutes until a substantial number of them have popped. Set aside to cool.
40 g pumpkin seeds
Put the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt into in a mixing bowl along with the cocoa powder, if using. Whisk together to ensure everything is well combined and there are no lumps.
300 g flour, 2 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda), ¼ tsp salt, 2 tbsp cocoa powder
Stir in the cooled pumpkin seeds.
Divide the goats cheese into three.
100 g soft goat’s cheese
Chop two thirds into small pieces and stir into the flour.
Chop the other third into 24 small portions and put to one side.
In a separate bowl beat the eggs with the yogurt. Then beat in the oils, followed by the milk and a good good grinding of black pepper.
2 large eggs, 200 ml natural yoghurt, 50 ml unrefined pumpkin seed oil, 50 ml sunflower oil, 100 ml milk, good grinding of black pepper
Add the tarragon or sage leaves and beat these in too.
4 spigs tarragon
Mash the roasted squash roughly with a fork and stir into the milk mixture.
Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add the batter.
Stir as lightly as possible until everything is just about incorporated.
Divide the mixture between 12 silicone muffin moulds. No need to line them.
Top each with a few raw pumpkin seeds and two pieces of goats cheese.
Bake in a preheated oven at 200℃ (180℃ fan, 400℉, Gas 6) for 20 minutes
Leave for a few minutes in their moulds, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
Notes
Please note: calories and other nutritional information are per serving. They’re approximate and will depend on exact ingredients used.