We are at the tender part of autumn right now. The ferocity and passion of the summer season has passed and the heat lingers gently like the last parting kiss of two lovers. The morning light is a little dimmer; the scent of oncoming chills fills the air.
These are my favourite mornings for being outside. I run through the few leaves that have started to fall and take deep breaths of the air that has lost the stickiness of summer.
I walk, long strides through the grass that grows tall and golden on the untamed verge and feel the wind cooling my skin as it shimmers through the trees.
On the weekends I feel that I can walk forever. My soul feasts on the freedom from four walls and necessary sedentariness. I gather the boundlessness closely; try to imprint the feeling of this blessing for the days when I am trapped inside.
Autumn calls my innermost self to hibernate, to start pulling inward, to curling up and preparing for winter.
I want morning walks followed by pots of tea and muffins, and a big thick book, and warm arms to hold me while I nap.
When we have a quiet moment those are my tender autumn weekends.
These are the muffins I made this last tender autumn weekend. They were quiet, all-consuming, gentle to make. Grating zucchini, carrot, and cheese takes only a moment and is stirred into a batter that goes from thought to reality in no time at all. A dash of dried herbs and into the oven they go. By the time I have selected a book to read while I eat breakfast they are out of the oven.
All they need is a little dob of butter and tender weekend morning perfection is achieved.
Carrot, Zucchini, and Thyme Muffins
Gluten Free. Makes 12 muffins.
Muffins are always best on the day they are made, but these freeze very well and are a welcome accompaniment to a midweek dinner of soup or stew, or simply pop into lunchboxes for a savoury snack.
Ingredients
- 100 grams sorghum flour
- 100 grams buckwheat flour
- 50 grams brown rice flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup sunflower seeds + 2 tablespoons extra
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 medium carrot
- 1 small zucchini
Method
- Preheat your oven to 180C (350F) and thoroughly oil one twelve-count muffin tins with spray oil.
- Roughly grate carrot and zucchini on the small holes of a box grater. Place gratings between two paper towels and squeeze out as much moisture as possible. Set aside until needed.
- In a large bowl whisk together sorghum, buckwheat and rice flours. Add salt, baking powder, pepper, and dried herbs and whisk until well combined.
- In a separate medium size bowl whisk together eggs, milk, honey and oil.
- Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
- Add sunflower seeds and carrot and zucchini gratings. Stir until distributed.
- Gently stir in crumbled feta.
- Spoon mixture into muffin tins. Fill each cup to ¾ full. Sprinkle extra sunflower seeds on top.
- Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until tops are golden and bounce back when lightly touched.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes in the pan before turning out.
Serve with butter and a large pot of tea or coffee.
