Dining in the Garden: “Savory Summer Squash Muffins”

Yellow squash here, growing in abundance at Ishihara Park Learning Garden, specifically the crookneck variety, which, you guessed it, comes with a bend at the top. The cheery yellow vegetable grows on a vine low to the ground and can be harvested when it is 6-8 inches long. Any bigger than that, and the tender squash could lose flavor. It is best to store squash in an open paper bag in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator for up to 10 days. The squash flower is also edible, so don’t forget to clip some for stuffing and frying as well!

We have all probably enjoyed a delicious summer zucchini bread, moist and tender. (After all, zucchini contains a good bit of liquid.) I like my zucchini bread with walnuts and chocolate chips. For a new flavor, today’s recipe offers a different baked good. I wanted to use the yellow crookneck squash in a savory application, a cheesy muffin, that would be excellent to eat with a side of eggs or on its own with a cup of coffee.

Squash is a very mild vegetable, which makes it a good vegetable to sneak into baked goods for added nutrition. Grated and flavored with a hint of onion, sundried tomato, and Italian seasoning, the squash is undetectable in texture while subtly tasty, which makes this a muffin that can be enjoyed by adults and kids alike.

Savory Summer Squash Muffin Recipe:

1 medium crookneck summer squash-grated

2 TBS finely diced yellow onion

¼ cup sundried tomato diced

2 eggs

1 cup milk

2 and ¼ cups all purpose flour

4 tsp baking powder

2 cups shredded cheese (I used an Italian blend)

1 tsp Italian seasoning

½ tsp freshly ground pepper

½ tsp salt

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Line a muffin tin with 12 muffin liners or grease well to ensure the muffins will not stick
3. In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning
4. In a separate bowl whisk together the milk, eggs, squash, onion, and sundried tomato
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and add in shredded cheese
6. Stir until just combined and spoon the mixture into the muffin tin
7. Bake for 18 minutes and enjoy!

Salima Saunders