Spinach and Parmesan Muffins

The cheese muffins I made earlier this week reminded me of some absolutely delicious spinach cheese muffins that I use to get in Paris... of all places... for muffins. The first summer that I spent in Paris, I worked in a little American bakery - the San Francisco Muffin Company. Which ceases to exist. It was owned by an American couple and they sold all sorts of delicious North American baked goods and sandwiches that, at the time, were somewhat tough to find in Paris.

And I think my absolute favourite thing they sold was their spinach cheese muffins. Wait... maybe it was their lemon squares... but these were a close second. So I started hunting for a recipe last week after making my cheese muffins. And I stumbled across one on the Good Food Channel and made them this morning.  Tasty indeed.  I think these are going to be my favourite side to a hearty winter soup in the months to come. 

This is also hopefully a good way of sneaking some spinach into Logan.  We'll see what he thinks of them when he gets home from daycare later today, but I suspect he will enjoy them just as much as he does any muffin.  Well, except banana chocolate chip muffins, I'm sure.  I had thrown a very small handful of chocolate chips into my maple-banana muffins with flax earlier this week.  Only a small handful because I knew Logan would be eating them, and I don't really want him eating chocolate just yet.  Well, the little monkey proceeded to smash the muffin into little bits, in a hunt for the few chocolate chips he could find.  And then, that's all he ate.  Even though he usually loves banana muffins.  So maybe he'll do the same and pick out the spinach?? Or maybe if I hid a few chocolate chips into just his spinach muffins???

1 3/4 C flour (I used whole-wheat)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. sugar
75g Parmesan (I used fresly grated Parmesan)
100g spinach, cooked, cooled and chopped (I used a 300g package of defrosted frozen chopped spinach, well drained)
1 egg
1 C milk
1/3 C vegetable oil

1.  Grate the Parmesan finely and set aside.

2.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.  

3.  Sift the flour, salt and baking powder in a large mixing bowl.  Stir in the sugar, about 2/3 of the Parmesan and the spinach.  In a large jug, beat together the egg, milk and vegetable oil.

4.  Pour the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients.  Using a metal spoon, stir until just combined.  You must not beat this mixture or stir it too much.  It should be quite lumpy, but there should be no traces of dry flour.

5.  Spoon the mixture into muffin cups and sprinkle the remaining Parmesan on top.  Bake for 20-25 minutes until risen and golden.  Serve warm.

Serves 8 (I got 11 muffins)