Zucchini Cheese Muffins

Ingredients

• 140 ml olive oil (+ 1 tbsp for the pan)
• 100 g zucchini
• 2 Garlic cloves
• 1 Spring onion
• 100 g Gouda (45% fat in whole milk)
• 360 g spelt whole‑grain flour (+ 1 tbsp for the pan)
• 1 tsp Baking powder
• Salt
• Cayenne pepper
• 170 ml carrot juice
• 1 large egg
• 400 g white beans (canned; drained weight)
• 4 tbsp tahini (15 g each)
• 2–3 tbsp beetroot juice
• 150 g cooked pumpkin flesh
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• Pepper
• 0.5 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds (15 g)
• 0.5 tsp za'atar

Instructions

1. 1.

   Grease the depressions of a 12‑cup muffin tin with 1 tbsp oil. Clean, wash and finely grate the zucchini. Peel one garlic clove and finely chop it. Trim, wash and finely dice the spring onion. Grate the cheese.

2. 2.

   In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, cheese, grated zucchini, 1 tsp salt and a pinch of cayenne pepper. In another bowl beat 150 ml carrot juice, egg and 100 ml oil; pour into the dry ingredients. Add garlic and spring onion and mix well.

3. 3.

   Divide the batter among the tin depressions and bake the Zucchini‑Cheese Muffins in a preheated oven at 200 °C (180 °C fan) for about 25 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Remove, cool slightly, lift the muffins from the tin and let them rest on a wire rack.

4. 4.

   Meanwhile, peel and finely chop the remaining garlic clove. Drain the beans, then split them between two bowls or tall containers. Add half of the garlic and tahini to each. In one bowl pour beetroot juice and 2 tbsp oil; in the other add pumpkin flesh and the remaining carrot juice. Blend both with a stick blender until smooth, seasoning each with 1 tsp lemon juice, cumin, salt and pepper. Sprinkle pumpkin‑seed dip with pumpkin seeds and beetroot dip with za'atar before serving alongside the muffins.