Sweet & Savoury Muffins

Home baking is the best way to enjoy baked goods: they are tastier and you know exactly what's in them. You can mix and match flavours to make the perfect snack. Kids love to help bake, they love helping to add and mix ingredients, it is great for their numeracy and a fantastic bonding activity.

Mini muffins make great snacks for lunch boxes for little and big people alike: freeze after baking and take out in the morning for a perfect lunchtime snack. These muffins are made with a mix of white and wholemeal flour, for increased fibre. The sweet options are high in fruit for added fibre, vitamins and mineral, whilst the savoury options provide additional protein.

Base recipe (makes 12 large or 24 mini muffins):

- 1 cup self-raising flour

- 1 cup wholemeal self-raising flour

- 1 egg

- ¾ cup milk

- ½ cup vegetable or canola oil

Sweet Muffins: Add ¾ cup brown sugar to the dry ingredients, plus your choice of:

* BERRY: 1 cup frozen berries (blueberry, raspberry, strawberry, mixed berries)

* BANANA: 2 mashed ripe bananas

* APPLE, WALNUT: 2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 cup chopped walnut, 1 peeled chopped apple

* DATE: 1/2 cup chopped dates, 2-3 tsp mixed spice.

Savoury Muffins: Add your choice from following options to the wet ingredients:

* CHEESE & CORN: 1 cup grated cheese, 1 cup creamed corn, 1 shallot finely sliced, 1 tbs seeded mustard, pinch of pepper

* HAM & CHEESE: 1/2 tsp chicken stock powder, 1/2 tsp hot paprika, 4 slices of ham chopped, 1 cup grated cheese

* ZUCCHINI, TOMATO & BASIL: 1 cup grated zucchini, 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil, pinch of pepper, 12 cherry tomatoes halved (place tomatoes on top of muffins).

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 180°C and line a muffin tray.

2. Combine the flours in a large bowl and add extra ingredients depending on sweet or savoury option chosen.

3. Combine the wet ingredients in a bowl.

4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix with a fork until just combined.

5. Spoon the mixture into the muffin tray, filling each to ¾ full.

6. Bake for 20-25 minutes for large muffins or 12-15 for mini muffins.