Follow these steps carefully for perfectly baked, flavourful vegetable muffins every time:

1. Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin well with oil or cooking spray, or line it with paper muffin liners. Lining makes cleanup easier and ensures the muffins don’t stick.
2. Prepare the Zucchini: Shred the zucchini using a box grater. Place the shredded zucchini in the centre of a clean kitchen towel, cheesecloth, or several layers of strong paper towels. Gather the ends and twist firmly, squeezing out as much excess moisture as possible over a sink or bowl. This step is critical to prevent the muffins from becoming overly wet or soggy. Discard the liquid.
3. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, black pepper, and any dried herbs you are using. Whisking helps distribute the leavening agents evenly, ensuring a consistent rise.
4. Add Vegetables and Cheese: Add the squeezed shredded zucchini, shredded carrots, finely chopped bell pepper, chopped onion, and optional wilted spinach/kale to the dry ingredients. Add the shredded cheese as well. Gently toss everything together with a spatula or your hands until the vegetables and cheese are coated in the flour mixture. This prevents them from sinking to the bottom of the muffins during baking.
5. Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together the large eggs until lightly beaten. Then, whisk in the milk, vegetable oil (or melted butter), and optional minced garlic until well combined.
6. Combine Wet and Dry: Pour the wet ingredient mixture into the large bowl containing the flour-vegetable mixture. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, gently fold the ingredients together just until combined. Be careful not to overmix! A few streaks of flour remaining are perfectly fine. Overmixing develops the gluten too much, resulting in tough, dense muffins instead of tender ones.
7. Fill Muffin Cups: Divide the batter evenly among the 12 prepared muffin cups. An ice cream scoop works well for portioning evenly. The cups should be about two-thirds to three-quarters full. If desired, you can sprinkle a tiny bit of extra shredded cheese on top of each muffin before baking.
8. Bake: Place the muffin tin in the preheated oven. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the centre of a muffin comes out clean (with no wet batter attached). Baking times can vary slightly depending on your oven.
9. Cool: Once baked, carefully remove the muffin tin from the oven and place it on a wire cooling rack. Let the muffins cool in the tin for about 5-10 minutes. This allows them to set slightly, making them easier to remove without breaking.
10. Remove and Finish Cooling: Gently remove the muffins from the tin and place them directly on the wire rack to cool completely. Cooling them fully on the rack prevents the bottoms from becoming soggy due to trapped steam. Enjoy warm or at room temperature!