Learn with Play at Home: Cheese and Veg Muffins. Cooking with Kids

Getting a little bored of sandwiches in the school lunchbox, and wanting to include some different vegetables, we thought we'd make some yummy Cheese and Veg Muffins.

Involving the children in the cooking process meant they were much more likely to give them a try and it gave us plenty of opportunities for chatting about foods and healthy eating, as well as engaging the kids in the math, science, literacy and kitchen skills that come with cooking.

We've previously made a savoury ham, cheese and spinach muffin with great results so it was easy for us to tweak this one up in the healthy notches by replacing the ham with extra veggies.

Using the base recipe, you can swap the included veggies for ones that you have available or that your kids prefer.

Using similar quantities to what we have here will make a light and fluffy muffin, or you could add even more veggies for a slightly heavier, denser muffin. It's fun experimenting.

Cooking with kids: Here's how to do it. Children will require adult supervision in the kitchen and may require some assistance with some of the steps.

The picture steps below make it easier for children to follow along and do the cooking themselves. See the bottom of the post for the simple instructions in full.

When cooking with kids, it's good to get your ingredients out and ready in a way that makes it easier for them to access and follow instructions. It gives you an opportunity to talk about the ingredients and quantities before you start.

Don't forget to pre-heat your oven and prepare your muffin tins (we spray lightly with vegetable oil).

Sift your flour into a large bowl

Whisk your eggs

Finely chop your veggies. (You may need an adult to assist with this bit. You can substitute these veggies with any you have on hand or your kids favourites)

Make a well in your flour and tip in your cheese

Add your corn

Add any other veggies or herbs

Pour in your milk

Pour in the egg

Mix until all of the ingredients are thoroughly combined

Divide between your pre-oiled muffin tins

If you like, you could add a fresh basil leaf on top

Bake in the oven until golden brown on top

They smell good fresh from the oven

Leave to cool on a wire rack

While they are still warm, cut in half and serve. They are delicious with a little spread of butter.

Once they have cooled completely, you can freeze them for other days. They microwave well for a quick warm snack or sent off to school in the lunchbox.

Cheese and Veggie Muffin Recipe

Ingredients:

250g grated tasty cheese (approx 2 loose cups)
2 cups of self raising/rising flour (If you don't have S/R Flour, you can substitute with plain flour and baking powder. Add 2 tsps of baking powder to each cup of plain flour. Metric cup size in Australia is 250ml)
2 eggs
1½ cups of milk
Small can of corn kernels (125g)
Half red capsicum
Large handful of baby spinach
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh basil leaves to add to the mix and on top (optional)

Method:

Preheat oven to 180°C (356°F)

Sift flour into a large bowl.

Whisk eggs, chop capsicum, spinach (and optional basil).

Make a well in the flour, add in the rest of the ingredients and mix until combined.

Spoon into a greased muffin tray (pop a basil leaf on top of each, optional) and bake for 25 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.

Makes about 14 regular muffins or 12 large ones.

Enjoy!

Notes:

If you don't have Self Raising Flour, you can substitute with Plain Flour and Baking Powder. Use 2tsps of baking powder per cup of plain flour.
Mix and match the veggies used in the muffin to create your own favourites. Other veggies that work well are mushrooms, tomato (fresh or sun-dried), zucchini, broccoli, spring onions, etc.
Swap some of the tasty cheese with some crumbled feta cheese for an extra cheesy bite.
They will keep for up to a week in an airtight container in the fridge however, any that I'm not going to use on the day of making or the day after, I freeze to keep fresh.

They defrost in a lunchbox in time for lunchtime or you can microwave them for around 30 seconds for a soft, warm muffin.