This post is sponsored by Barilla.

I decided to make some spinach, fetta and pesto muffins for school for the week, because I thought you guys can’t ever get enough savoury muffin recipes!  I’ve been playing with pesto a lot of late, as I have been working with Mumtastic and Barilla, but this isn’t something new for me.  Pesto and I go way back…

Back in time, when I was 16 I went to Italy by myself as an exchange student.  Knowing very little Italian I landed in Arezzo, just out of Florence and began a month long stay with a host family in which I was to learn Italian.  I learnt so much more than just grammar and vocab, I learnt a whole new lifestyle.  I was lucky, I ended up with a host mother who was an ex-teacher and she took it upon herself to help me to learn as much of the Italian language as I possibly could.  but the thing that I think I learnt most about was food.

Coming from Sydney, I was amazed by the rows and rows of pasta in the shops, I was amazed by the bakeries with such good bread and I was amazed by the sights and sounds of a totally foreign country. Don’t get me wrong, I’d been overseas before, but this was a whole new experience, dodging vespas, snacking on slices of pizza and going to school in a foreign country were totally different experiences.

And I loved Italian food. Even home cooked minestra (soup) that was clear broth tasted amazing.  It was there that I truly began to open my mind (and tummy) up to all that was on offer!  I tasted pesto there for the first time in my life and loved it. It’s been a staple part of my diet since!  Now I get my fix easily, in summer I use fresh grown basil and make my own, but the rest of the year, I’m all for a jar of Barilla Pesto Genovese (or the rocket one!).

Italians really know what they are talking about when it comes to food.  But I have to admit my Italian friends would probably be quite shocked to see pesto going into muffins.  These really need the flavour boost that the pesto gives, and the good news…you then have the rest of the jar for yourself…for pasta…or whatever else tickles your fancy.

Here are my other recipes that have an Italian touch – will surely be a hit to your kids!

• Fetta, salami and capsicum savoury muffins
• Salami pizza scrolls, lunchbox yumminess
• Polenta gnocchi pie

Spinach, fetta and pesto muffins

Yield: 12 muffins

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 18 minutes

Total Time: 23 minutes

These spinach, fetta and pesto muffins are perfect for the lunchbox, a savoury afternoon snack or just because!

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Ingredients

• 150 grams frozen chopped spinach, thawed
• 1.5 cups self raising flour
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 3/4 cup water
• 3 tbsps Barilla pesto with rocket and basil
• 100 grams crumbled fetta cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
2. Combine all ingredients except the fetta in a large bowl and mix until well combined.
3. Add the fetta and fold through.
4. Divide the mixture evenly into a 12 silicone muffin tray (or use liners).
5. Bake at 180 degrees for 18 minutes.

Notes

These freeze really well.

 

Pine nuts are not actually nuts, they are seeds.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1 muffin
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 238Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 277mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 1gSugar: 0gProtein: 5g

This nutrition information is generated using software. Please check with a nutritionist for any specific questions.

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