Savoury Cheese, Soppressata & Spinach Muffins

Growing up in an Italian household, homemade soppressata was a big staple food in our home.  It was hung in our cold cellar and readily available to eat once it firms and dries up aka curing it.  It was almost always served on our table especially when company was over.  It was also served with Italian cheeses, fresh crunchy bread and fresh home grown tomato salad.  Simplicity at it’s best!!!

For a while now, I have been thinking of incorporating soppressata into a biscuit or muffin recipe but didn’t want to use the usual white flour.  Also, I find that adding Italian cheese (as much as it is flavourful) would disappear into the batter and wanted something more visible so I decided to use “sharp cheddar cheese” in this recipe .  That’s when I came up with this recipe.  It’s gluten free, very flavourful and has only good ingredients.  I also wanted to add a little bit of greens in this recipe so I went “spinach”.

Now for the recipe:

Savoury Cheese, Soppressata & Spinach Muffins

Dry Ingredients:

1 cup of all purpose gluten free flour (I prefer to use Bob’s Red Mill products)

1 tsp. aluminum free baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

pinch of sea salt

Wet Ingredients:

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

1 large egg (preferably free run or organic)

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Toppings:

1.5 cups of shredded sharp cheddar cheese (shredded)

1 cup of soppressata or cacciatore (diced)

1 cup of baby organic spinach

Directions:

Preheat oven at 400 degrees F.

First step is to sautee your spinach in a small pan with 1 tsp. coconut oil, cook for a few minutes until wilted, put aside and let cool

In a medium size mixing bowl, mix your wet ingredients together, the milk, egg and oil, mixing well with a whisk

In another medium size mixing bowl, mix your dry ingredients together, the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt

Now mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, adding 3/4 of the shredded cheese, the diced soppressata and cooled spinach.  Mix everything well to combine.

Grease your muffins cups and place mixture, filling 3/4 full to the top.

Bake at 400 degrees F. for 20-25 minutes

During the last 5 minutes of baking, sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of each muffin

Makes 12 muffins!

*Can be served as a breakfast muffin or a side dish to any meal or even just a snack

*gluten free

*no butter added

*no added sugars