Olive Oil Fennel Pollen Muffins

I am finally getting around to using the fennel pollen sample that my friend Jenn Erickson gave me around the holidays.  It's not that I haven't had all sorts of ideas; I think I was hoarding it until I knew I would have more.  So now that my order of a full ounce of pollen came in, I'm free to create!  I whipped up some olive oil fennel muffin this morning for breakfast.

4 eggs
3/4 C organic granulated sugar
2/3 C olive oil (use a good quality, extra virgin olive oil)
1 T fennel pollen
1-1/2 C white whole wheat flour
1 T baking powder
1/2 t pink Himalaya salt


Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Prep your pan - either butter a loaf pan or use lined muffin tins.
Beat the eggs in a large bowl for about 30 seconds. Add the sugar and continue to beat until the mixture is frothy.  Continue beating and drizzle in the olive oil slowly.  Gently fold in the fennel pollen.  In another bowl, mix the dry ingredients - flour, salt and baking powder.  Stir the flour mixture into the egg-oil mixture just until it is combined. Don’t overmix, or the cake/muffins will be dry and tough.

Pour batter into pan(s) and bake 45 minutes, or until a knife blade stuck into its center comes out clean.  Let the cake cool a bit before popping it out of your loaf pan. Eat warm or at room temperature.  As this cake doesn't keep well, you'll want to eat it the day you make it or the next day.