I am going through a busy period. I feel overwhelmed, buried under so many commitments, so many deadlines, so many things to do. For a long time I had planned these spinach muffins, never finding the time to write the recipe. But today is enough, today I take the time, I steal it, to write it, because Easter is looming! And these spinach muffins are just right for these days. You really need muffins at Easter.
And even more so on Easter Monday, because muffins, of all kinds, sweet or savory, are ideal for transporting, taking out, for picnics, as Easter Monday recipes require.
But they are now also typical in my home, because for quite some time I have been dedicating myself to transforming everything into muffins, I’ve discovered they are very practical: they never give me cooking problems, they cook faster, they don’t need to be cut so they don’t make crumbs, they store in small containers, they are nice to bring to the table, they are welcomed with a smile by the kids… in short, they are a great convenience.
If you want to try them for Easter day, you can put them all in a basket in the center of the table, or serve them, one each, with appetizers. But if for that day you prefer the traditional Easter form, like cake or loaf, no problem, also because the recipe by Benedetta from which I took inspiration is a plumcake.
It’s a recipe that I liked immediately as soon as I saw it, and some of you and I exchanged opinions on the fb page: the presence of sugar in Benedetta’s recipe intrigued us and it inspired me to try to make it in a no-salt version, which led me to also eliminate the sugar.
In the end, they became spinach muffins with added cheese and roasted bacon, they are beautiful, I really liked to see them, and I liked to eat them. 😄
But I don’t count because I’m greedy for spinach (besides a myriad of other things!). Who surprised me was my daughter, she who doesn’t eat spinach, and who complains even when they are inside ravioli, or in the fillings of rustic pies, and who removes the little pieces and crumbs from the plate, well… against all my rosy predictions… she approved them, and ate them, and asked for seconds! 🤩
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Other ideas for Easter Monday? Here they are! 👇
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Affordable
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 6
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 1.75 cups all-purpose flour
- 7 tbsp milk
- 3.5 tbsp vegetable oil (corn oil)
- 2 eggs
- 2.75 oz spinach (weighed after cooking)
- 2 oz roast bacon (or Prague ham)
- 4.25 oz cheese (I used Gouda)
- 1 tsp instant baking powder
Tools
- Muffin Pan
- Whisk
Steps
First, wash and cook the spinach. As I already told you in this recipe, I always cook spinach in a pot with a closed lid, using only the water from the washing. Spinach cooks quickly: 10 minutes are sufficient, considering they will be sautéed later.
Sauté the spinach in a pan with a drizzle of oil, a clove of garlic, and a sprinkle of pepper.
This pan fry is not essential but recommended, first because it removes excess moisture but also because it enhances the flavor of the spinach, which is useful if no salt is added to the recipe.Blend the 2 whole eggs for a couple of minutes, then add the liquid ingredients, namely the milk and the oil (I used cold-pressed corn oil).
Gradually pour in the flour, still using the mixer, and the teaspoon of baking powder.
I use unscented instant yeast for everything (sweet and savory), I haven’t used the savory one in a long time because it left me with the feeling that it altered the taste of the preparation. If you prefer savory yeast, use it by all means.Add the spinach, preferably cooled or lukewarm, and chopped, blending at low speed.
Chop the bacon with a food processor or a knife and add it to the mixture.
I used cooked bacon, I’m not used to buying it, but I bought it by chance, to taste it, and so I took the opportunity to use it here. It can be replaced with Prague ham or, obviously, traditional bacon. (*) (follow the asterisk for some low-sodium considerations on bacon and cheese)Dice the cheese, I used Gouda. (*)
Pour the mixture into a muffin pan, adding diced cheese halfway inside each portion (to have melty cheese inside) and on the surface (for aesthetic reasons and because we like the cheese a bit roasted).
I used my usual 6-mold pan, but the mixture can also be divided into 8 portions, my 6 molds were quite full.
Bake in the oven at 392°F for 10 minutes then lower to 356°F for another 10-15 minutes (at least with my oven)
Serve hot, if you want to enjoy the cheese still melting 🙂 but they are also excellent cold.
(*) Salt-Free Tips
To my personal taste, the bacon (at least this roast bacon I used) is not essential in these spinach muffins: it can be omitted without compromising the final taste of the muffins. I used it in an attempt to “cover” the spinach, because my goal was to make my daughter eat spinach 🙂 but I have to admit that the taste of spinach remained predominant despite the presence of bacon, whose flavor was a bit overshadowed also by the cheese. Gouda is a flavorful cheese, perhaps a bit too much for those who need to eat without salt, so in a low-sodium cooking perspective it might make sense, in my opinion, to forgo one of these two flavorful ingredients, without compromising the goodness and final taste of these excellent spinach muffins. This way, the ingredient – and the salt – “saved” in this recipe can be used in another preparation.
Let’s take advantage of this hidden ingredient (and salt) rule: if a flavorful ingredient, such as cold cuts and cheeses, is not essential to the success or taste of a recipe, let’s eliminate it, or use a smaller quantity: it will all be saved salt. 😉
If you’re interested in reducing or eliminating salt, always remember to:
▫ Gradually decrease the salt, the palate has to get used to it slowly and should not notice the progressive reduction.
▫ Use spices. Chili, pepper, curry, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, cumin…
▫ Use aromatic herbs. Basil, parsley, oregano, thyme, sage, marjoram, rosemary, mint…
▫ Use seeds. Sesame, pine nuts, almonds, walnuts…
▫ Use spicy vegetables or fruit. Garlic, onion, lemon, orange…
▫ Use my salt-free vegetable granule and gomasio.
▫ Prefer fresh foods.
▫ Avoid cooking in water, prefer cooking methods that don’t disperse flavors (grill, foil, steam, microwave)
▫ Avoid bringing the salt shaker to the table!
▫ Occasionally allow yourself a rule break. It’s good for the mood and helps to persevere.
If you don’t want to, or can’t, give up salt:
▫ You can still try my recipes salting according to your habits.
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In my new WhatsApp channel and on Instagram, on my Facebook page, on Pinterest boards, in my two groups: Catia’s Group, in the Kitchen and Beyond and Just What I Was Looking For! and if you want… subscribe to the Newsletter
