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Leek and Cheese Muffins

The perfect snack after a strength training session provides carbohydrate to replenish muscle glycogen, the body’s premium source of fuel for strenuous exercise and protein to repair and regenerate muscle fibres damaged during exercise. The presence of amino acids in the bloodstream and their availability to muscle cells is vital for repair and growth after exercise. The most rapidly digested protein is whey, found predominantly in milk and dairy products. Once digested, whey protein delivers high levels of amino acids that seem to stimulate growth and repair of the muscles. These muffins deliver on both counts there is plenty of carbohydrate from the flour and whey protein from the milk and cheese, nicely flavoured with the leek and tomatoes.

Makes 10

225g self-raising flour
1 leek, finely sliced
Freshly ground black pepper
100g half fat cheddar, grated
175ml semi-skimmed milk
1 egg
50ml olive oil
10 cherry tomatoes

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, leek, freshly ground black pepper and cheddar and mix well.

In a separate bowl, mix together the milk, egg and olive oil. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients and mix well.

Grease ten muffin moulds and half-fill each with the mix.

Prick each cherry tomato – this stops them popping when they cook – and press one tomato into the top of each spoonful of mix.

Spoon the remaining mixture over each muffin to conceal the tomato. Cook for about 20 minutes until golden brown