Snotty Noses Happy Parents Raising Healthy Kids by Dr Orlena Kerek, Paediatrician

I am on a muffin roll. I offer no apologies. I have discovered exactly how easy muffins are and how they can be a healthy breakfast, healthy snack or even a healthy lunch that the kids can make themselves. These healthy zucchini muffins are the perfect cooking with kids ‘thing’ for busy mums! (In our neck of the woods they are called courgettes. Just to clarify.)

So, I’m just going to keep inventing new flavours with whatever comes to hand. As long as you get the balance of dry and wet goods consistent, you can substitute what you want.

These little gems are amazing. Like little cheesy packets of goodness. Dante, who is 5 made them whilst Galen made his favourite apple ones. (He’s not one for “new”. He likes “tried and tested”. Hmm…I can see that muffins might be a useful weapon in my ‘variety armoury’. I’ll keep you posted.)

Here you go…

Ingredients for Healthy Zucchini Muffins

• 2 cups (250g) flour
• 1 cup or pot (125 mls) full fat greek yoghurt
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp baking powder or bicarb (I used bicarb, it worked fine)
• 1 cup (100g) grated cheddar cheese
• 1 cup (125 mls) of olive oil (I refill the yoghurt pot)
• 1/2 cup (100 g) sliced olives
• 2 cups (300 g) finely chopped or grated zucchini, otherwise known as courgette

How to Make Healthy Zucchini Muffins

1. Sift flour and bicarb into a large bowl.
2. Whisk all the liquids together (eggs, oil and yoghurt.
3. Tip everything (liquids, zucchini, olives, cheese) into the large bowl.
4. FOLD. Don’t over mix. This is where I’ve been going wrong all those years. You want lumpy bumpy mix. If it looks a little dry, add a splash of milk. But only a splash.
5. Put in your muffin tin. (I use a silicon one, they’re great).
6. Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 20 minutes.

Seriously, if my kids can make them, so can yours. (I do help them a bit but they do most of it themselves.)

I can see that muffins are going to be so useful in adding variety in a really easy way to the kids’ diet. Here we come healthy breakfast, lunch and snack. Do you think they’ll do for a healthy dinner too??

Remember!

On a serious note, if you are struggling with a picky eater, not to pressure them to eat. I know it’s tempting but it usually makes things worse. If you are looking for help, grab a copy of my book “Crunch! Put a Stop to Picky Eating and Help your Kids Love Veggies”.