Zucchini, Pistachio, and Lemon Muffins

(Leanne Brown)

Summary: Mix wet ingredients and dry ingredients, then combine them. Bake in a muffin pan at 350 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes.

I wasn’t sure I was going to put these muffins in the book until I served one to my 2-year-old, and she shimmied her shoulders and said, “So yummy!” and “So good!” over and over again. I mean, it’s the law now. Everyone has to have these.

Zucchini adds texture and moisture, and these muffins have an incredibly floral, bright, and sweet aroma and flavor. My senses always feel dull and far away in the morning, and these muffins smell and taste like stepping into a quiet garden, with the gentle breeze on your skin bringing a light scent. They gently and lovingly awaken your senses to the undeniable truth: They’re so yummy.

Makes 12 muffins

• 1 cup grated zucchini
• 1/2 cup ground pistachios (see note)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with silicone or paper liners. (I highly recommend investing in silicone molds if you bake muffins or cupcakes often. They’re reusable, so you cut down on waste.)

Place the zucchini, ground pistachios, sugar, lemon zest, egg, and yogurt in a large bowl and mix well.

Place the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to combine.

Sprinkle the flour mixture over the zucchini mixture and gently mix until the flour is just incorporated. Don’t overmix or the muffins won’t be as tender.

Fill each muffin cup about three-quarters of the way full with batter. Bake until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Let the muffins cool to room temperature before enjoying. Store them in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Note: Take a heaping half-cup of shelled pistachios and grind them in your food processor, adding more until you get a half-cup ground. I like them to be crumbly, but not powder-fine.

Excerpted from “Good Enough: A Cookbook” by Leanne Brown, illustrations by Allison Gore. Workman Publishing Copyright 2022.