This recipe is sponsored by Rugani Juice.
It’s back to work and school for most of us and what to take for lunch is back on the agenda. And after the festive season, keeping it a bit healthier will be top of mind for most of us as we start the year. The idea behind this recipe was to create a lunch box meal that is nutritious and interesting yet still easy and uncomplicated. And by using the Rugani Juice range I think this recipe for Baby Marrow Muffins with Roasted Pumpkin and Chèvre Spread ticks all those boxes.

Rugani Juice one of the richest sources of beta-carotene on the South African market to date and the world-first Rugani extraction process ruptures 95% of veggie cells, optimising the nutritional content of the juice. Extraction and pasteurisation convert trans-beta-carotene into cis-beta-carotene, making the extracted juice the richest source of this rare, sought-after goodness. The process, along with the unparalleled freshness, makes Rugani Juice a nutritionally superior product and a true nutraceutical.

What I like about these recipes is that you can “chop and change” ingredients to make it work for you. Instead of using milk in the Baby Marrow Muffins recipe I used the Rugani Carrot Juice, yielding a light, tasty muffin. You can omit the cheese to make it a dairy-free muffin or use another cheese if cheddar is not your favourite. The muffins make a great lunchbox item or a snack all on their own but I think making the spreads using more of the juices take them into next level territory.

I ended up making two spreads, a Roasted Pumpkin and Chèvre Spread and a White Bean and Beetroot Hummus with Za,atar. Both the spreads are healthy and packed with nutrients. And both are equally good with the muffins or spread thickly on crackers, warm toasted bread or some hot naan bread. If that does not take your fancy, it will make delicious dips for raw veggies or some crisps (perhaps not the best way to start the new year.) Or add some extra flavour to roasted veggies with big dollops of either spread spooned on top.

I used the Beetroot Juice to give the white bean hummus that amazing pink colour and the add an earthy beetroot flavour that does not overpower. Topped with za’atar it is so good. For the roasted pumpkin spread, I roasted the pumpkin in the Carrot Infused with Ginger juice, adding more juice when blitzing to get the right consistency and for more flavour. Again you can amend the recipes by replacing the white beans with chickpeas (you will probably need to use more beetroot juice) and you can replace the chèvre with cream cheese or fresh ricotta.

I love that no sugar, water or preservatives are added to the juices. On the day of harvest, veggies are transferred on a conveyer belt from farm to the production facility, extracted and packaged as a 100% natural juice. Currently, the Rugani Juice range consists of five products, available in 330ml and 750ml packaging, sold at Food Lover’s Market, Dischem, and selected Spar outlets.

I hope you enjoy this recipe for Baby Marrow Muffins with Roasted Pumpkin and Chèvre Spread. If you’ve made the recipe share it with me by tagging @heinstirred on Instagram or Facebook with the hashtag #heinstirred.

Baby Marrow Muffins with Roasted Pumpkin and Chèvre Spread

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Ingredients

Muffins:
360 g self raising flour
100 g baby marrow coarsely grated
100 g strong mature cheese
1 spring onion finely sliced
2 tsp garlic salt
pinch of cayene pepper optional
200 ml Rugani Carrot Juice
1 large egg beaten
50 ml olive oil
Pumpkin Spread:
2 fat cloves garlic skin on
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
4 tbsp Rugani Ginger Infused Carrot Juice
500 g butternut squash peeled and cut into chunks
5 sprigs of thyme
2 tsp sea salt flakes
freshly ground black pepper
100 g goat’s milk chèvre
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp Rugani Ginger Infused Carrot Juice
pinch of dried chilli flakes optional
toasted pumpkin seeds to serve
White Bean Hummus:
1 clove garlic chopped
1 x 400g can cannelini beans drained
4 tbsp tahini
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp Rugani Beetroot Juice
½ tbsp lemon juice
grated zest of ½ lemon
½ tsp cumin
sea salt flaked and black pepper to season
za’atar to serve

Instructions

Muffins:
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C
Grease 12 cavity muffin tray
Mix the flour, baby marrow, cheese, spring onion and salts in a bowl
In a separate bowl, whisk the juice, egg and olive oil together until well combined
Add the liquid to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined
Divide the mixture among the muffin cavities and bake for 25 – 30 minutes until risen and golden-brown
Let the muffins cool in the tray for 15 minutes before removing
Pumpkin Spread:
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C
Mix the olive oil and carrot juice and coat the butternut chunks with the dressing
Place the butternut on a baking sheet and season with salt and black pepper
Add the garlic and thyme sprigs to the sheet and roast the veggies for about 40 minutes until cooked through and starting to caramelise
Let it cool to room temperature and remove the thyme
Place the roasted butternut and all the caramelised bits in a bowl
Squeeze the garlic cloves from their skins and add with chèvre to the bowl
Mix with a fork until you have a rough spread
Add the lemon juice and carrot juice and mix
Check the seasoning (can add a pinch of chilli flakes)
Spoon into a bowl and refrigerate till needed
To serve, spoon into a sealable container and top with some toasted pumpkin seeds
White Bean Hummus:
Place the garlic, beans, tahini, and olive oil in a food processor and pulse for a minute, scraping down the sides a few times
Add the beetroot juice, lemon juice, zest, cumin, salt, and black pepper and blend until you have a smooth texture
Spoon into bowl and refrigerate till needed
To serve, spoon into a sealable container and top with some za’atar