Christ is Risen!

Glory be to God! Another recipe to share from Phaidon’s “The Greek Cookbook”. So far, nothing has been a disappointment from this cookbook. The recipes are easy to make vegan for someone who has an intolerance to dairy.

The flavor combination of dill and cumin and the Greek yogurt is a mixture of my home plus my husband’s Greek culture– this recipe really hits home in a strange way.

My wonderful taste testers, whom I bake phosphor every week – a friend from church and my spiritual father– have approved this recipe.

I was quite taken back when using aquafaba in place of egg that the muffins came out yellow! If you were to put it side by side with muffins made from the same recipe but with egg, I admit I would could not tell the difference!!

Author’s note: This savory muffins freeze well for up to a month, so why not make up a batch and leave them to go cold before sealing in freezer bags? For extra flavor, try adding some crushed garlic, snipped chives, or freshly grated nutmeg.

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Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing

1 red onion, finely chopped

1/2 tsp ground cumin

6 oz/180 g baby spinach leaves, coarsely chopped

2 tbsp chopped dill or 1 tbsp dried dill

2 1/2 cups self-rising flour flour

1 tsp baking soda

Large pinch of salt (~1 tsp)

2 medium free range eggs or 9 tbsp aquafaba

1 cup (8 oz/225 g) Greek yogurt or Kite Hill Greek plain yogurt for vegan option

1 cup (3 1/2 oz/100 g) coarsely grated Graviera or Kefalotyri cheese, plus extra for sprinkling or vegan mozzarella cheese from Trader Joe’s or brand of your choice

2 large carrots, washed and grated

4 tbsp seeds, e.g., chia, sunflower, pumpkin

2 tbsp pine nuts

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F/ 200 C/ Gas Mark 6. Grease and line a 12 hole muffin pan with muffin cups (paper cases).
2. Heat the olive oil in a skillet (frying pan) over medium heat and cook the onion for 6 minutes, or until softened. Stir in the cumin and spinach and cook for 1 minute until the leaves wilt. Add the dill and let cool.
3. Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Beat the eggs or aquafaba and yogurt and gently fold into the flour with the cooled onion and spinach mixture, cheese, carrots, seeds, and pine nuts — do not over mix.
4. Spoon the mixture equally between the muffin cups and sprinkle lightly with grated cheese. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes, or until risen and golden brown. Test whether the muffins are cooked by inserting a thin skewer into the middle — it should come out clean.
5. Remove the muffins from the pan and cool on a wire rack. Eat warm or at room temperature. They will keep in a sealed container for 2 days and be reheated.

Tips

If you can’t source any Graviera or kefalotyri cheese, use mature Cheddar cheese

In place of spinach, you can use arugula, kale, collard greens, or any green your choice. If using large leafy greens, chiffonade them into small thin slices.

If you don’t have paper liners, grease your muffin pan with coconut oil or neutral oil to prevent the muffins from sticking. This is also an eco-friendly option to not waste paper, although it does look really pretty!! It’s up to you!

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Sources

“The Greek Cookbook” Phaidon