sneaky Pete: {summer squash muffins}

I'm all about sneaking veggies into my kids' meals. Every morning of the summer, we all drink a green smoothie, which is more accurately a neon pink smoothie as I've been putting beets into it lately. Vivi is obsessed with pink and will do anything to have it near her, including ingest it when combined with no less than two kinds of leafy vegetable (spinach and/or beet greens too). Popeye would be proud. Score 1 Mommy.

Even easier than sneaking vegetables into a beverage is into a bread. After our successful carrot muffins, I thought we'd try summer squash. I came into a big score of it (for a buck!) at the "seconds" stand at my local farm. Have one of these? I get some great bargains there. Sometimes the item sits in my fridge for a few days while I figure out what to do with it, but it always gets used somehow. This time, I knew just what to do when life gave me banged up squash: make muffins.

I had read about zucchini muffins a time or two, but I hadn't ever eaten a squash muffin. Undeterred, I sought out the sage wisdom of Google, and I am pleased with the result. I combined a Tasty Kitchen recipe with a Modern Beet recipe (a new website for me. It's a keeper!). When I first told Nate what I was making, I got a "ewgross" response, but even he gave me a big thumb's up on this recipe. They are a bit denser than I was expecting...time for new baking powder, I imagine.

Even doubling the recipe, it only took one large squash to make these muffins, so I went ahead and grated/froze the rest for muffins later. (Time saver: Write the amount on the bag so you'll know how much to pull out for your recipe prior to defrosting it). While I am not new to the world of the chest freezer or of making baby food in advance and freezing it, I am new to the world of the preparatory freezing of ingredients. What a revelation! As I stood there rehashing my newfound brilliance to my dear husband, I can only imagine he must have been thinking "She needs to get out more." But there you have it. I love my freezer.



oatmeal summer squash muffins
makes 12 muffins

1 c. white whole wheat flour

1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. rolled oats
1 Tbs. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1 egg
1 c. milk
2 Tbs. oil
1/4 c. honey

1/2 c. applesauce

1/4 tsp. lemon zest
1 c. grated summer squash (zucchini is fine too)

cinnamon sugar for dusting (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degF. Combine flours through nutmeg in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, combine egg, milk, oil, honey*, applesauce, and lemon zest. Mix well. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until just moistened. Gently fold in squash.

Fill lined or well-greased muffin tins 2/3 full. Dust with cinnamon sugar if you like. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

*Y'all know that measuring trick where you pour the honey into the oil in the cup, and it all slides out together, right? Thought so. Just making sure.

Editor's note: This post is part of GNOWFGLINS Zucchini & Squash Seasonal Recipe Round-Up, Frugal Friday, The Homestead Barn Hop, The Homesteader Blog Carnival, and Monday Mania.