Magnificent Muffins

I like to eat--a lot. Luckily, I like to cook almost as much as I like to eat. This summer has been an unending feast of the freshest produce available, and I've eaten, well, a lot. I told my sister last night that rather than acquiring that lithe athletic figure that I've always sort of vaguely (and vainly) hoped for, I've settled into the strong and comfy build of a porky farm wife. Oh dear. Too much delicious butter, too many eggs, so many helpings of lightly steamed vegetables, venison stews, gigantic salads.... I've reveled in simple foods: beets roasted in olive oil, buckwheat pancakes with honey, squash mush (delicious) for breakfast, big ripe tomatoes eaten like apples, seeds all down the front of my shirt.

I have no regrets. None.

So that you can share in my guiltless glorying in food, I'd like to share what I made tonight--what I'm calling Magnificent Muffins, because I'm in a sportive mood and alliteration if fun. Bonus: these muffins are gluten-free. The precise instructions are courtesy of my scientific cooking methods.

Magnificent Muffins 

Ingredients: 

- A little heap of cornmeal

- A matching mound of buckwheat 

- One small grated zucchini

- Ditto, except a carrot

- Two pinches of salt

- A couple dashes of baking powder (baking soda has aluminum in it, and baking powder is more interesting anyway, because you have to  be clever and think of something yummy and acidic to react it with and get the bubbling action)

- An egg

- A couple sloshes of yogurt for the flavor and to make magic with the baking powder

- Some chopped basil (don't cut yourself like I did while chopping it)

- Some chopped parsley

- A liberal amount of feta cheese 

- Oh, and don't forget a glug of olive oil

 Directions:

Mix everything together with the least amount of care possible, preferably while listening to Fresh Air, and add a little water or milk if the yogurt and egg don't give the mix enough moisture--but they should. Add a splash of cayenne pepper if you're feeling bold, and pour into muffin tins you probably neglect to grease. Bake at some suitable temperature until a fork comes out clean. Pry out of the tins. You may end up with something that looks like a little fluffy mountain, rather than a muffin. If this happens, make a note above your stove remind yourself to grease pans diligently and enjoy the crumbs with a liberal amount of butter.