Savory Pumpkin & Leek Buckwheat Muffins
My husband jokes with me that I’m obsessed with having snacks on hand for our little babe. He even calls it “AHS” —always have snacks. But the truth is, having a homemade snack on hand at all times has saved us from a LOT of meltdowns with our 1.5 year-old. Homemade snacks are more economical than store-bought, and it’s pretty great to be in control over what goes into them. Whether we’re enjoying an afternoon at the park, listening to music at our local pub, or simply working in the field with Pepper in tow, having something to munch on keeps her pretty darn happy. She’s a good little eater so far and I’m hoping that trend continues. I’m really trying hard to keep things tasty, nourishing and convenient. These muffins are a perfect snack on the go, or even served up alongside some scrambled eggs for breakfast. They’re hearty and full of nourishing ingredients to keep our bodies moving all day long. I kept these vegetarian however, my next batch I’m totally going to throw in some ground sausage to make them more of a complete meal for us. Once you make these I think your imagination will go wild with all the different ways you can switch up the combinations.
I hope you all enjoy these savory muffins as much as we do. Make sure you plan ahead for these muffins as you need to soak the flours in yogurt overnight. Other than that, these are pretty straightforward! They also freeze well and heat up nicely in the oven.
Happy baking everyone!
Savory Pumpkin & Leek Buckwheat Muffins
Prep Time: overnight Cook Time: 25 minutes Serves: 16 muffins
- 3/4 cup millet flour (See note)
- 3/4 cup buckwheat flour
- 1/2 cup amaranth flour (see note)
- 1 1/4 cups whole milk plain yogurt (we used goat milk yogurt but you can use any kind
- 2 cups peeled and diced pumpkin (1/2 inch size)
- 4 Tablespoons butter, divided
- 2 medium sized leeks, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes + fat pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup chicken stock or veggie stock
- 2 cups very finely chopped/shredded kale (tough stems removed)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbed
Preparation
- The evening before baking, mix your flours with the yogurt and place in a warm spot in your kitchen. Cover with a towel. (see note)
- The next morning preheat your oven to 350F. Grease a standard 12 cup muffin tin and set it aside (or use muffins liners)
- Add the cubed pumpkin to a baking sheet and toss it with 2 Tablespoons of the butter and a hefty pinch of salt and pepper. Use your hands to really massage the butter into the squash. Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until lightly tender.
- While the squash cooks heat the remaining 2 Tablespoons of the butter in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the leeks along with the thyme, oregano, pepper flakes and a fat pinch of salt and cook, stirring often until beginning to soften and brown up a bit. About 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock and kale and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the liquid evaporates and the kale turns bright green. Remove from the heat.
- Add the baking soda and salt to the bowl with the dough and mix. Add the eggs and olive oil. Fold in the squash, leeks and kale mixture. Sprinkle in half of the cheese and mix well. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins and top with remaining cheese (you will probably have enough batter leftover for about 3-4 more muffins).
- Bake in the oven until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle of a muffin. About 25 minutes. Start checking the muffins around the 22 minute mark. Cooking times will vary depending on your oven.
- Let the muffins cool for 10 minutes before chowing down! Store muffins at room temperature for 1 day and then keep them in the fridge for 4-5 days. Freeze for up to 6 months.
Notes
If you don't have millet or amaranth flour, you can make up the difference with all-purpose flour. It's important to soak the flour in the yogurt the evening before to help break down the phtyic acid in the grains. This step helps to make the grains more easily digested and nutritious. You can also use any variety of winter squash in place of the sugar pumpkin
If you were to add bacon or sausage, would you just add it or take out something else (substitute)?
I’d just add it!!! It will go so well with all the other ingredients!