Basically Healthy Courgette & Feta Muffins

I must put my hand up immediately to say that this is the first time I've ever baked, bar maybe making bread in year 8 food tech. But I don't even recall trying the fruits of my labour then as the other classes in the tech department would linger outside the kitchen after lessons, pouncing on you and pecking your precious produce apart like pigeons. Puck' sake.

So with the above in mind, this really must be easy to do, so non-bakers, do not flee.

So, ingredients above (only need one block of feta) and detailed in text at the bottom of the post. I do not own scales so I have 'weighed' my flour and butter by eye and pen.

You'll need 200g plain flour, otherwise measured as half, then half again, and then a tad less of a 1kg pack. Mark and pour into a mixing bowl along with a teaspoon each of Bicarb soda, paprika, salt and pepper.
Before the 'organic' mocking begins, I'm geographically obligated as I live in floppy North London, so if I'm seen with anything but, I'll be pelted with compost.

You'll then need 100g of unsalted butter at room temperature so divide a standard 250g block into five, mark with a pen and slice straight through the wrapper.
Add this to a separate mixing bowl and whisk with 4 big spoons of natural yoghurt (150ml) and one egg. Set this to one side.

Then add your liquid mix (yoghurt etc) to your floury bowl and mix with your hands until you have a consistent dough. Dough done.

Meanwhile, top and tail your courgette and grate on a mixture of the course and fine sides of a box grater. The fine stuff will integrate more with the muffin mixture to give it flavour, and the coarser stuff will give them texture and bite. I've even thinly sliced some with a knife.

Skin an avocado and squelch through your hands until relatively smooth. This will serve the role of what cream usually would in a sweet muffin. 

Finely chop a handful of mint and toast some pine nuts (not essential but does add a nice additional dimension to it).

Loosely combine these with the dough mixture being careful not to over-mix. We want differing mouthfuls. 

Finally, crumble over a block of Feta and combine even more loosely, trying as best you can to keep nice little nuggets of cheese throughout. 

I didn't bother buying muffin cups as I've seen you can make them from greaseproof paper. It also saves washing up and using extra butter/oil which is always a winner. Cut roughly 15cm squares and press into the middle of each crevice. 

Spoon in your mixture so that it piles above the tin-top. I managed to get my mixture across 9. 

Bake in the middle of a 200°C oven for 20 minutes, perhaps checking at 15.

When they've rised a little and have a lovely golden colour in spots, whip them out of the oven.

Take the muffins out of the wrappers and sit on a rack to cool for at least half an hour. I noticed a few of mine still felt a little heavy, wet and loose so put them back in for another 5 or so minutes. I'm glad I did. 

These seem to have panned out pretty well and really aren't too unhealthy, though I can think of some delightful ways to fatten these pups up, sausage balls, pancetta, the list goes on. Next time....

Ingredients::

• 200g plain flour
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 150ml natural yoghurt
• 100g unsalted butter
• 1 tsp each of salt and pepper
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 block of feta cheese
• A handful of mint
• 1 medium courgettey
• 1 avocado
• 
  

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