food to glow

Cheesy Garden Vegetable & Herb Muffins – my nutritious, versatile lunchbox and healthy snack recipe. A perfect protein and fiber-packed mini-meal for traveling, too.

I know I don’t really post “child-friendly” recipes all that often, much less label them as such. However, after making these tender, vegetable-packed muffins I realised that they would be perfect tucked into a lunchbox.

Or nibbled for breakfast.

Or munched alongside a lunchtime bowl of soup.

Definitely a stop-gap, mid-afternoon snack at the desk to prevent keyboard slump.

You get the idea. Versatile.

Although my daughter has flown the nest (third year at University of St Andrew’s), I am programmed to still think about healthy afterschool-type snacks – nutritious nibbles to tide anyone over until dinner.

The last home-time snack I can recall preparing over and over again (her ask, not mine) was kale crisps, hoovered up by both of us as they came out of the oven.  We both find them surprisingly filling for something so light and ephemeral. I particularly love them because they are naturally salty tasting owing to the high mineral content. These savoury, vegetable flecked muffins are equally satisfying, as well as flexible. Flexible as in the flavour options, NOT because they are rubbery!

Feel free to sub in whatever vegetables and flavourings that you like, and even ditch the cheese and egg to make it vegan (the how-to, below). There are hundreds, maybe thousands, of combinations to explore. You could try chopped cauliflower or grated beetroot with goat’s cheese; chopped asparagus with lemon zest in the spring (hello Australia and New Zealand!); roasted squash and rosemary. Or go left field with a punchy spice blend or curry powder, crushed chickpeas, and dried shallots. Let your imagination run wild!

I haven’t made these yet with a gluten-free flour blend or any of the naturally gluten-free flours, but I may try and get the ingredients for this homemade all-purpose gluten-free flour blend recipe.

I am off to Japan quite soon (!!) and I will be making these to ensure I have something filling that tastes nice on the loooong flight to Tokyo. I will also be ordering a Hindu meal (and getting some confused stares I imagine) – my tip for getting an interesting veggie meal on any flight. I’ve never been disappointed with this canny strategy. 🙂

Oh, have a giggle at this funny, quick scene from British sitcom, Miranda – the savoury muffin sketch. Thanks to Kevin for bringing it to my attention. 🙂

Have you been doing any autumnal baking? Do you have any favourite savory muffin recipes or flavour combinations to share? If you are a gluten-free baker, what’s your advice for the best flour options when making muffins?

A few more healthy and delicious lunchbox and snack recipes from Food To Glow (loads more in my Recipe Index):

Apricot and Citrus No Bake Bars (dunk in chocolate for a raw Jaffa cake!)

Artichoke and Spinach “No-Meatballs” (really tasty cold with a pot of low-sugar, low-salt ketchup!)!)

Baked Marinara-stuffed Arancini (Rice) Balls

Butternut Squash and Almond Dip with Homemade Pitta Chips

Cocoa-Roasted Pumpkin Seeds + Salt & Vinegar Pumpkin Seeds ( a great up-cycle for all of those seeds that tend to go to waste in autumn cooking)

No-Bake Cookie Dough Brownie Bites (the secret ingredient is…!)

Scandinavian Multi-Seed Crackers (my absolute favourite cracker)

Super-Smooth Hummus – a classic recipe made easier to digest!

Add a pop up colour and sweet with Beetroot and Cashew Hummus

Puffed Rice and Cardmom Cashew Bites for a healthier rice crispy cake

Malted Wholegrain and Quinoa Granola – lovely and “clumpy”, so perfect for munching!

Crunchy Granola Applewiches

Brilliant muffins from fellow food writers:

Cauliflower Cheese Bread with Marinara Dipping Sauce (plus tips for raising healthy eaters)

Cheesy Sweetcorn Muffins

Buttermilk, Beetroot and Apple Muffins

Cheese and Red Onion Muffins

Za’atar & Olive Focaccia

Wholemeal Cheddar & Apple Chutney Soda Bread

Beetroot, Goat’s Cheese, Chocolate and Walnut Brunch Muffins

Vegan Banana and Cashew Muffins

Keep In Touch!

You can also find me on:

Instagram – behind the scenes with my recipe development (triumphs and tragedies!) and mini, Instagram-only recipes;

Twitter – tweeting on health, nutrition and global news, as well as sharing other bloggers’ content;

Facebook – posting on the latest nutrition and food stories, as well as sharing recipe links; 

Pinterest – loads of boards on food, travel, food writing, blogging, health and novel ingredients;

Huffington Post – writing bespoke recipes and opinion pieces on my own Huff Post blog

I’m linking up to a new-to-me recipe community, Foodie Friday, hosted by The Fit Foodie Mama, Fairy Burger, Chocolate Runner Girl, and Hello To Fit.

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