Meera Sodha's rollercoaster apple muffins are designed to help children grow taller and stay energized, with 9g of protein per muffin. These easy bakes are packed with whole grains, healthy fats, and nutrients, making them ideal for vegetarian kids.
What Are Rollercoaster Foods?
Sodha explains that her children are mostly vegetarian, so she constantly seeks "rollercoaster foods"—nutrient-dense meals that help them meet height requirements for rides like Mandrill Mayhem at Chessington World of Adventures. These muffins are tasty without being overly healthy, high in protein, and mindful of sugar.
Recipe: Rollercoaster Apple Muffins
Prep time: 10 minutes. Cook time: 45 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.
Ingredients: 200g wholemeal self-raising flour, 100g mixed seeds, 65g rolled oats, 50g raisins, ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda, 1½ tsp mixed spice, ¼ tsp fine sea salt, 3 large eggs, 150g full-fat cottage cheese, 125g demerara sugar (plus 1 tbsp extra), 100ml extra-virgin olive oil (plus 1 tbsp extra), 200g skin-on grated apple (about 2 large Braeburns).
Line a 12-hole muffin tin with muffin liners and heat oven to 195C (175C fan)/385F/gas 5½. Mix flour, 80g seeds, 50g oats, raisins, bicarb, mixed spice, and salt in a large bowl. In a jug, whisk eggs, cottage cheese, sugar, and 100ml oil. Pour wet into dry, add grated apple, and mix. For topping, combine remaining 15g oats, 1 tbsp oil, 1 tbsp sugar, and 20g seeds. Distribute batter among cases, sprinkle topping, and bake 25-30 minutes until skewer comes clean. Cool in tin. Muffins keep for a couple of days in a cake tin or can be frozen.
Tips and Variations
Sodha notes that cottage cheese curds are visible in the finished muffins, but mashing the cheese beforehand can avoid this. Wholemeal self-raising flour is available at large supermarkets. Muffin liners are taller than cupcake liners, but cupcake liners work with a knife to remove cooled muffins.
