I’ve decided to stop cleaning the kitchen to make time for a new pursuit (phase?) – Baking! Still, I will not bake frivolously. My aim is to nourish my children with delicious, healthy homemade muffins and cookies that are easy to grab on the go.
These are fantastically moist and jam-packed with ham and cheese flavor. They are also substantial and satisfying so tomorrow my 5-yr old can pack his own lunch by grabbing two of these and some fruit.
I have written out the standard, non-soaked recipe below. But I have prepared these in two additional ways. Both times I used spinach as my veggie add-in.
1) In my new found spare time I have also been experimenting with soaking grains. I soaked 1 cup spelt and 1 cup unbleached all-purpose in yogurt at room temp overnight according to these instructions from The Nourishing Gourmet. The next morning I added in the remaining ingredients with a strong hand and baked.
2) Not soaking, I used 3/4 cup millet, 3/4 cup whole spelt and 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose which made them more cornbread-y and a great side dish for a minestrone or tomato soup.
Croque Monsieur Muffins
Makes 12 muffins
Freezes well
Adapted (significantly) from a Stoneyfield Farm Recipe
2 cups flour (1 cup whole wheat or spelt and 1 cup unbleached all-purpose)
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1.5 tsp. baking soda
1 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
2 eggs beaten
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
1.5 cups nitrate-free ham or canadian bacon, chopped
1 cup veggie add-ins (optional) (chopped fresh spinach, cooked broccoli, chopped jalapeno, scallions, bell pepper, parsley, etc.)
parmesan cheese, for sprinkling (optional)
1) Heat the oven to 400°.
2) In a large bowl, combine (I sifted them) the flour, baking powder and baking soda.
3) In a separate bowl, combine yogurt, cooled butter and eggs.
4) Add the yogurt mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
5) Fold in the ham, cheese and veggie mix-ins.
6) Spoon into a greased muffin tin and top with parmesan cheese.
7) Bake 18-22 minutes. Cool 5 minutes in the pan and then transfer to a cooling rack. They might seem a little wet, but as long as they look a little well-done as in the photo they will be perfect. This is what makes them Croque-Monsieur Muffins!
Perfect! Can’t wait to try this…and hearing more of your healthy baking options.
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these sound great. i’ve got an abundance of zucchini right now, do you think shredded zucchini would work well, or perhaps too wet?
Good idea on the zucchini! I would reduce the yogurt and give it a try. Perhaps 3/4 cup yogurt and 1 cup shredded zucchini as your add-in. These are quite wet as they are but not in an uncooked sort of way.