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Pumpkin Apple Muffins

November 4, 2011 ·

Adam’s nap cycle is pretty predictable.  He typically naps for 2-3 hours each day, but occasionally goes through week-long periods of 1 hour naps.  Sometimes it’s due to teeth, sometimes it’s due to growing, and sometimes who knows.  We have been through it enough to know that it passes in about a week.  So when we found ourselves through week 2 of short naps, it was a little disconcerting (and tiring) for all.  Fortunately, we did made it through the latest short-nap phase, and these Pumpkin Apple Muffins are a result of those extra 2 hours I was not expecting.   

I have been working on a recipe for Pumpkin Apple Muffins for quite a while.  When I found myself with extra apples from other recipes and several cans of pumpkin puree, it was clearly time to execute my vision.  The combination of my two favorite fall flavors was just so appealing.  The result is a moist, flavorful muffin that is a perfect blend of pumpkin and apple.

After Adam’s blissful 3 hour nap, I decided we should split a muffin for snack.  Before he could even finish his first bite, Adam said ‘more muffin.’  Over and over, ‘more muffin for Adam’ until he finished nearly 3/4 of our muffin.  His enthusiasm says it all…these are fantastic!   

Pumpkin Apple Muffins
Yields 12 muffins

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup pumpkin puree
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 eggs (or 1 egg and 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed plus 3 tablespoons water – see note)
1/4 cup applesauce
1 medium apple, cored and shredded (any variety)

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line 12 muffin cups in a standard muffin tin.  Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together flours, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder and baking soda until combined.
  3. In a separate medium bowl, mix pumpkin, oil, eggs, applesauce and apple until combined.
  4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and gently fold until combined. (note: batter will be thick)
  5. Divide batter evenly amongst 12 muffin cups.
  6. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool in pan for 5 minutes and then move muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.

Note:  I only had 1 egg, so I used ground flaxseed as a substitute.  1 egg = 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed plus 3 tablespoons water.  Mix flaxseed and water in a bowl and let sit for about 2 minutes.  Add just as you would an egg.

    Adapted from Low Fat Cooking @ about.com

      Filed Under: breakfast, healthy, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

      Spiced Pumpkin Molasses Muffins

      October 17, 2011 ·
      Spiced Pumpkin Molasses Muffins {Alida's Kitchen}

      I am always looking for new and different recipes for muffins.  They are an easy make ahead breakfast that Mike can take on the go, on his way to work or while traveling.  They are also easy for me to grab while I’m chasing after Adam, who then insists (very persistently) that I share with him.  Pumpkin season seems to be very popular with everybody these days, and our family is no exception.  For this muffin, I was looking for something pumpkin, healthy and with a little pizazz.  Enter Spiced Pumpkin Molasses Muffins.

      Spiced Pumpkin Molasses Muffins {Alida's Kitchen}

      These muffins fulfill all of the above requirements and then some.  The pumpkin and molasses flavors are nicely balanced, with neither one outshining the other.  I topped the muffins with a mix of chopped pepitas, oats and brown sugar, which added some nice texture and visual appeal.  The muffins would be delicious without this optional topping, but I highly recommend it.  I also highly recommend making these muffins!

      Spiced Pumpkin Molasses Muffins {Alida's Kitchen}
      Spiced Pumpkin Molasses Muffins
       
      Print
      Yields: 12 muffins
      Ingredients
      • 1 cup all-purpose flour
      • ½ cup white whole wheat flour
      • ¼ cup flaxseed meal
      • ¼ cup rolled oats
      • ½ teaspoon baking powder
      • ½ teaspoon baking soda
      • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
      • 1½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
      • ½ cup dark brown sugar
      • 1 cup pumpkin puree
      • ½ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
      • 2 eggs
      • 3 tablespoons molasses
      • ¼ cup canola oil
      • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
      • ¼ pepitas, chopped (optional for garnish)
      • 2 tablespoons rolled oats (optional for garnish)
      • 1 tablespoon brown sugar (optional for garnish)
      Instructions
      1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line muffin cups with liners (or sprady with cooking spray). In a small bowl, mix together chopped pepitas, oats and sugar for garnish, if using. Set aside.
      2. In a bowl, mix together the flours, flax seed meal, oats, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice until the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
      3. In another large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, pumpkin puree, yogurt , eggs, molasses, oil, and vanilla until well-blended.
      4. Add the pumpkin mixture to the flour mixture, folding until just combined (do not over mix).
      5. Divide the mixture into the prepared muffin tins, and sprinkle each muffin with the pepitas-oats mixture.
      6. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes.

      Adapted from All Recipes

      Filed Under: bread, breakfast, healthy, kid-friendly, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , ,

      Brown Sugar Coconut Blueberry Muffins

      September 23, 2011 ·

      The hunt for tasty ways to use the remainder of our blueberries continues.  It’s not a bad problem to have, that’s for sure.  We have been happily enjoying Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Pancakes, lots of blueberries in Greek yogurt, and many other treats.  But it was time to make something new.  I already have several blueberry muffin recipes that I love, but when I found a blueberry muffin recipe using brown sugar and buttermilk, I knew it would become an instant favorite.

      While the recipe looked nearly perfect as-is, I decided to add a little twist and use coconut oil instead of canola oil.  This was my first time using coconut oil, but I had high hopes it would be the perfect addition to these muffins.

      The coconut oil imparts a delicious coconut flavor to the muffins, which works beautifully with the tangy blueberries.  The muffins are incredibly moist as well.  Score for the coconut oil, and score for another fantastic recipe for blueberry muffins!

      Brown Sugar Coconut Blueberry Muffins
       
      Print
      Yields: 12 muffins
      Ingredients
      • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
      • ¾ cup packed brown sugar
      • 1½ teaspoon baking powder
      • ¼ teaspoon salt (optional)
      • ⅓ cup coconut oil (or canola oil)
      • ⅓ cup buttermilk
      • 2 large eggs
      • 1 teaspoon vanilla
      • 2 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)
      • 2 teaspoons brown sugar, for topping
      • 2 teaspoons sweetened flaked coconut, for topping
      Instructions
      1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 12 standard muffin cups with paper liners.
      2. In a large bowl, stir flour, sugar and baking powder.
      3. In a medium bowl, whisk together oil, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla until well blended.
      4. Add wet ingredients to flour mixture, stirring gently until just combined.
      5. Gently fold in blueberries.
      6. Divide batter evenly among 12 muffin cups. Top each muffin with a sprinkle of brown sugar and a sprinkle of coconut.
      7. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes and then move to wire rack to cool completely.

      Brown Sugar Coconut Blueberry Muffins
      Yields 12 muffins

      1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
      3/4 cup packed brown sugar
      1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
      1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
      1/3 cup coconut oil (or canola oil)
      1/3 cup buttermilk
      2 large eggs
      1 teaspoon vanilla
      2 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)
      2 teaspoons brown sugar, for topping
      2 teaspoons sweetened flaked coconut, for topping

      1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line 12 standard muffin cups with paper liners.
      2. In a large bowl, stir flour, sugar and baking powder.
      3. In a medium bowl, whisk together oil, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla until well blended.
      4. Add wet ingredients to flour mixture, stirring gently until just combined.
      5. Gently fold in blueberries.
      6. Divide batter evenly among 12 muffin cups.  Top each muffin with a sprinkle of brown sugar and a sprinkle of coconut.
      7. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let cool in pan for 5 minutes and then move to wire rack to cool completely.

      Adapted from Babble

      Filed Under: breakfast, healthy, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

      Pineapple Zucchini Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

      September 16, 2011 ·

      One of my favorite things about birthdays is birthday cake. Especially making birthday cakes! The birthday person chooses a cake or simply gives me inspiration.  Then I try to make the best cake I can.  When it came time to choose my birthday cake, believe me, it was a tough decision. My head was still in zucchini-mode. I love pineapple, and I love cream cheese. So I was on zucchini, pineapple, and cream cheese mission. Seems easy enough, right? 

      I researched a few recipes until deciding on this one, and made a few changes, reflected below.  The frosting is a nice balance of cinnamon and cream cheese and the perfect complement to the cupcakes.  There are chunks of pineapple and hints of coconut and zucchini in the cake.  They are healthy and come in under 200 calories.  Pineapple Zucchini Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting made the perfect birthday treat!

      * REMINDER:  MAGAZINE GIVEAWAY ENDS TONIGHT!  GO HERE TO ENTER!  *

      Pineapple Zucchini Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
      Yields 18 cupcakes

      Cake:

      3/4 cup all-purpose flour
      3/4 cup white whole wheat flour
      1 cup brown sugar
      1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut
      2 teaspoons baking soda
      1 teaspoon salt  (optional)
      2 teaspoons cinnamon
      2 tablespoons canola oil
      2 large eggs
      1 teaspoon vanilla
      2 cups shredded zucchini (squeeze out some of the moisture)
      20 ounce can of pineapple tidbits or crushed in juice, drained (I used tidbits for chunkier pieces)

      1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 18 standard muffin cups with paper liners (fill the empty cups halfway with water). 
      2. In a large bowl, whisk together flours, sugar, coconut, baking soda, salt (if using) and cinnamon.  Set aside.
      3. In a medium bowl, stir together oil, eggs and vanilla until well blended.  Add zucchini and pineapple and mix until combined.
      4. Add zucchini mixture to dry ingredients and gently fold until combined.  (Note: Batter will be thick).
      5. Divide batter evenly among 18 muffin cups.  Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool completely on a wire rack.

      Frosting:

      8 ounces Neufchâtel (1/3 less fat) cream cheese
      1 cup powdered sugar
      1 teaspoon vanilla
      3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

      1. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. 
      2. Pipe or spread frosting on cupcakes, as desired. 

      Note:  If not serving immediately, cupcakes/frosting should be refrigerated.  Otherwise, the frosting gets too soft.  When serving after refrigeration, let cupcake sit out for 10-15 minutes at room temperature.  (They are good straight from the fridge, however…if you can’t wait like me!)  🙂

      Nutrition Information per Serving (1 cupcake and 1/18 frosting)
      Calories: 190 ~ Fat: 6g ~ Carbs: 33.6g ~ Fiber 2.9g ~ Protein: 3.2g

      Adapted from Skinny Taste

      Filed Under: healthy, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

      Banana Cinnamon Chip Muffins

      September 8, 2011 ·

      If there is one thing we always have plenty of in this house, it’s bananas.  Whenever we run low, Mike is quick to run to the store to replenish our stash.  It didn’t take him long to learn that there is no such thing as too many bananas.  A surplus of bananas means baking bananas, which means treats!  As I write this, I have a bowlful of overripe bananas waiting to be mashed, whipped, mixed, baked into something delicious.

      To completely change subjects – have I told you about my baking chip collection?  I have a thing for baking chips.  I love buying chips in anticipation of creating new and exciting treats, but life (i.e. a busy toddler) usually gets in the way of those plans.   I decided it was time for a self-intervention.  I must begin baking my way through this collection,…starting with these cinnamon chips.

      So the two stories come together…in the form of Banana Cinnamon Chip Muffins.   These muffins are a delicious and healthy option, made partly with whole wheat flour.  They are also made using 3 bananas, which means you can use less oil.  The cinnamon chips add just a little extra something that make these muffins special.  But if cinnamon is not your thing, these would be great with chocolate chips (mmm, or even peanut butter chips!).

      These muffins are moist and delicious.  They are all I hoped for and more…yet I ended up doing more with them.  I made half of the recipe as just Banana Cinnamon Chip Muffins.  Tomorrow I will share with you what I did with the other half of the recipe! 😉

      Banana Cinnamon Chip Muffins
      Yields 12 standard muffins

      1 cup all-purpose flour
      1 cup white whole wheat flour
      1/2 cup brown sugar
      1 tablespoon baking powder
      1 teaspoon baking soda
      3 ripe mashed bananas
      1/3 cup canola oil
      1/4 cup buttermilk
      2 eggs
      1 tablespoon vanilla extract
      1 cup cinnamon chips (or chocolate chips)

      1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease or line 12 standard muffins cups.  Set aside.
      2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda.  Set aside.
      3. In a separate bowl, mix the bananas, oil, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla until combined. 
      4. Fold banana mixture into flour mixture until just blended (do not over mix).  Add cinnamon chips, and fold gently until combined.
      5. Distribute batter evenly among muffin cups.  Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let cool in pan for 5 minutes and then move to a wire rack to cool completely.

      Adapted from Keep Your Diet Real

      Filed Under: bread, breakfast, Recipes Tagged With: , , ,
      Zucchini, Banana, and Flaxseed Muffins | alidaskitchen.com

      Zucchini, Banana, and Flaxseed Muffins

      August 22, 2011 ·

      Zucchini, Banana, and Flaxseed Muffins | alidaskitchen.com

      Zucchini, Banana, and Flaxseed Muffins are a healthy muffin that tastes good too!  They are made without any butter or oil, yet the are moist and delicious due to the zucchini and banana. 

       New magazine day is one of my favorites days of the month.  Since I subscribe to several magazines, this translates into several favorite days a month!   Actually, I think Mike might like new magazine day more than I do.  Especially when after just one quick perusal, it looks like this…

      10 flags after just a quick glance.  Not bad, eh?   Just wait until I get a chance to be more thorough!

      It was hard to choose what to make first, but there was clearly no better way to kick off zucchini week here than Zucchini, Banana, and Flaxseed Muffins!  Good thing too, because these might be the tastiest muffins ever!  I know, I know, I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again.  But this time I mean it!

      After one bite, you will never guess that these are healthy and low fat!  Sure there is zucchini and banana, but I’m sure you’ve noticed a lot of times muffins find some way to become glorified cupcakes.  Not these.  There is no butter and no oil added to these muffins, yet they are incredibly moist and delicious.  For an additional nutrition boost, I subbed in some whole wheat flour.  I also replaced whole milk with buttermilk since it seems everything is made better with buttermilk.

      This week I will be featuring several zucchini recipes throughout the week.  I hope you will all enjoy them as much as we have!

      Zucchini, Banana, and Flaxseed Muffins
       
      Print
      Yields: 12 muffins
      Ingredients
      • 1 cup all-purpose flour
      • ¾ cup whole wheat pastry flour
      • ½ cup ground flaxseed (flaxseed meal)
      • 1 cup packed brown sugar
      • 2 teaspoons baking soda
      • 1 teaspoon baking powder
      • 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
      • 1½ cups coarsely grated zucchini (I used 1½ zucchinis)
      • 1 mashed ripe banana (approx ⅓ cup)
      • ¾ cup buttermilk
      • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
      • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
      • nonstick cooking spray
      Instructions
      1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat 12 standard muffin cups with cooking spray. Set aside.
      2. In a large bowl, whisk together flours, flaxseed, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon.
      3. In a small bowl, stir zucchini and mashed banana together. Add to flour mixture and stir to combine.
      4. In medium bowl, whisk together milk, egg and vanilla. Add milk mixture to flour mixture and stir gently until combined (do not overmix).
      5. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes in pan and then transfer to wire rack to cool completely (about 30 minutes).
      Notes
      Adapted from Everyday Food, September, 2011
      Filed Under: bread, breakfast, healthy, kid-friendly, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , ,

      Chocolate Banana Peanut Butter Muffins

      August 5, 2011 ·
      Chocolate Banana Peanut Butter Muffins {Alida's Kitchen}

      My maternal grandmother was incredible in the kitchen and notorious for her baking.  She always had a vast array of ‘Grandma Goodies’ on hand, which certainly pleased her lucky grandchildren!  She knew everyone’s favorite goodie (granted it was near impossible to choose just one) and loved to make sure those favorites were always available.  One of my favorite goodies was a peanut butter rice krispie treat she made.  Much to my delight, she once told me it was okay to have one for breakfast.  “It has cereal after all!” is what she told me.  Who was I to argue with such reason!  I tried using that rationale to convince my parents, but it didn’t quite go over the way I hoped.  I found myself faced with yet another bowl of cereal for breakfast.

      Chocolate Banana Peanut Butter Muffins {Alida's Kitchen}

      My grandma was a wise woman and definitely on to something, if you ask me.  I think she would support me wholeheartedly today, because I am going to tell you IT’S OKAY TO HAVE CHOCOLATE FOR BREAKFAST!

      Chocolate Banana Peanut Butter Muffins {Alida's Kitchen}

      Chocolate in the form of Chocolate Banana Peanut Butter Muffins, that is!  After all they are made with banana, peanut butter and whole wheat!  I think individually each would be reason enough to forego your everyday cereal in favor of these muffins. Together, there is no excuse really.

      Chocolate Banana Peanut Butter Muffins {Alida's Kitchen}

      These muffins are phenomenal.  Chocolate and clove are a genius combination.  The spices, along with the banana, take this muffin from a chocolaty dessert to a chocolate spice muffin.  Combined with the peanut butter, it becomes the perfect breakfast muffin.  My grandma would have definitely approved of this!

      Chocolate Banana Peanut Butter Muffins
       
      Print
      Yields: 12 muffins
      Ingredients
      • ½ cup all-purpose flour
      • ¾ cup white whole wheat flour
      • ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
      • 1¼ teaspoon baking powder
      • ½ teaspoon baking soda
      • ¼ teaspoon salt (optional)
      • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
      • ¼ teaspoon ground clove
      • ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
      • 1 cup mashed ripe banana (approximately 2 large bananas)
      • ⅓ cup nonfat Greek yogurt
      • 1 large egg
      • ½ cup packed brown sugar
      • ¼ cup canola oil
      • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
      • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used mini chocolate chips)
      • 8 tablespoons natural peanut butter (smooth or chunky)
      Instructions
      1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare standard 12-cup muffin pan with liners or by spraying with cooking spray; set aside.
      2. In a medium bowl, sift together flours, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt (if using), cinnamon, clove and nutmeg.
      3. In a large bowl, whisk mashed bananas and yogurt until smooth. Whisk in the egg, sugar, oil and vanilla until well blended. Add the flour mixture and fold gently until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
      4. Fill each muffin cup about two-thirds full with the batter. Spoon about 2 teaspoons of peanut butte into the center of each cup. Evenly divide remaining batter to cover the peanut butter.
      5. Bake 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes in pan before transferring to wire rack to cool completely.

      Adapted from Christina Marsigliese and Amy’s Cooking Adventures

      Filed Under: bread, breakfast, Recipes Tagged With: , , ,

      Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Muffins

      July 20, 2011 ·
      Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Muffins from Alida's Kitchen
      Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Muffins are a healthy muffin recipe made with buttermilk, brown sugar and topped with chopped peanuts and chocolate chips.  

      When I boldly declared Whole Wheat  Peanut Butter Muffins as my favorite muffin of all time, Mike was not surprised in the least.  Not only do they have peanut butter, which I love, but they also have brown sugar and buttermilk, two of my favorite baking ingredients. Chocolate chips and chopped peanuts don’t hurt either. 🙂

      Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Muffins

      Today I am sharing with you a muffin recipe that I thought was lost forever. Many years ago, I bought a bag of whole wheat flour, and featured on the back was a recipe for peanut butter muffins.  I decided to give the recipe a try and was blown away. The muffins tasted just like a peanut butter sandwich only in muffin form. They were incredible.

      Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Muffins

      Fast forward years later, after many moves, the recipe sadly got lost in the shuffle. Until now! I googled away and found my beloved recipe at A Tasteful Garden. I had all of the ingredients on hand, so immediately got to work.

      Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Muffins

      I decided to swap canola oil for butter and add chopped peanuts on top.  I also used mini chocolate chips.  I like that with small chips, it seems as though you get more chocolate per bite.  As with most quick breads made with whole wheat flour, these muffins are dense and hearty.  I find they are best enjoyed with a big glass of milk.

      Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Muffins

      These muffins are even better than I remembered, and now thankfully will never be lost again!

      Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Muffins
       
      Print
      Yields: 12 muffins
      Ingredients
      • 2¼ cups whole wheat pastry flour
      • 1 teaspoon baking soda
      • 1 teaspoon baking powder
      • ½ teaspoon salt (optional)
      • ¼ cup canola oil
      • ½ cup brown sugar
      • ¾ cup peanut butter
      • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
      • 2 large eggs
      • ¾ cup buttermilk
      • 1 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips (optional)
      • ⅓ cup chopped peanuts, for topping (optional)
      Instructions
      1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare muffin pan with cooking spray or muffin liners. Set aside.
      2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium-sized bowl.
      3. Cream together the oil and brown sugar. Add the peanut butter and mix until incorporated. Beat in the vanilla and eggs, one at a time. Scrape sides of the bowl often to make sure everything is evenly mixed.
      4. Add one-third of the dry ingredients and mix until moistened. Add half of the buttermilk, mix until combined. Add the remaining dry ingredients and remaining buttermilk. Fold in chocolate chips, if using.
      5. Divide batter evenly between prepared muffin pan. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts, if using. Bake until golden brown, 22-24 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes, then move to wire rack to cool completely.

      Adapted from King Arthur Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Muffins, found on A Tasteful Garden

      Filed Under: breakfast, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

      Blueberry Lemon Muffins

      July 15, 2011 ·

      Have I told you lately that I love summer produce? Because I do!  This weekend we are planning a visit to our local farm to pick up several pounds of blueberries.  I am so excited! While we love to eat plain blueberries by the handful, I have a long list of great recipes using blueberries that I can’t wait to share with you!

      So in honor, and anticipation, of our future blueberry windfall, I would like to share with you my favorite blueberry muffin recipe.

      Years ago, I was flipping through a Bon Apetit magazine, and this recipe for blueberry muffins caught my eye. It just so happened to be an advertisement for Pam Cooking Spray – go figure!

      Now I know that I promised you a break from yogurt recipes, and well…I stuck to that for over a week. It would simply not be fair to keep this recipe from you any longer. These muffins rock!

      The beauty of using yogurt in baked goods means that you can use less oil/butter, which makes them a healthier option.  These muffins also contain oats, which provide a little texture that goes well with the juicy blueberries. And what more can I say about the blueberry-lemon combination – it just works.

      Over the years, I have made these muffins using different types of flours and yogurts.  This time, I made them using whole wheat pastry flour and Greek yogurt.  These muffins are just as delicious using all-purpose flour and/or regular yogurt, so use what you have or go crazy and try something different!

      Blueberry Lemon Muffins
       
      Print
      Author:
      Yields: 12 muffins
      Ingredients
      • 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or all-purpose flour)
      • 1 cup quick-cooking oats, uncooked
      • ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
      • 1 teaspoon baking powder
      • 1 teaspoon baking soda
      • 1 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt (or regular plain nonfat yogurt)
      • ¼ cup canola oil
      • 1 egg
      • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
      • 1 cup blueberries
      • zest of 1 lemon
      Instructions
      1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare 12-cup regular muffin pan with cooking spray or liners.
      2. Whisk together flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix together yogurt, oil, egg and vanilla.
      3. Pour yogurt mixture into center of dry ingredients; stir until just blended. Do not over mix. Fold in blueberries and lemon zest. (Note: batter is thick)
      4. Divide batter evenly between prepared muffin cups. Bake 12-14 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes in pan, then remove from muffin pan and cool completely on wire rack.
      Notes
      Adapted from a Pam Cooking Spray Advertisement found in Bon Apetit magazine

       

       

      Filed Under: bread, breakfast, Recipes Tagged With: , , , ,

      Strawberry Yogurt Muffins

      June 29, 2011 ·
      Strawberry Yogurt Muffins | alidaskitchen.com

      Strawberry Yogurt Muffins are an easy, healthy muffin recipe made with lots of fresh strawberries and Greek yogurt.  

      After picking up 8 pounds of strawberries from a local farm, I noticed these were the most perfect strawberries I have ever seen.  They had a perfect shape, a perfect stem and were a deep red throughout (no white inside these berries).  My husband wondered what I could possibly do with 8 pounds of strawberries?  Spend a LOT of time experimenting in the kitchen, that’s what!

      In fact, I was thinking 8 pounds might not even be enough.  I eat strawberries on my plain Greek yogurt every day.  My son eats strawberries by the fistful.  There is also a long list of goodies that I want to make with strawberries…hmm.

      For the longest time, I have been searching high and low for the perfect strawberry muffin recipe.  I was inspired by this recipe for Strawberry Bread on Cate’s World Kitchen.  I love that Cate uses yogurt, a good dose of vanilla, and this recipe uses more actual strawberries than other recipes I found.  From the original recipe, I reduced the amount of sugar and used plain nonfat Greek yogurt.   The recipe below is written accordingly.

      These muffins smelled incredible while baking in the oven.  It was hard to resist digging in while they cooled, but I knew they would be worth the wait.  And worth the wait they were indeed!  They are moist, delicious and have bits of sweet strawberries in every bite.  We are definitely going to make another trip to the farm to pick up more strawberries, and I will definitely be making more of these muffins!

      Strawberry Yogurt Muffins
       
      Print
      Yields: 12 muffins
      Ingredients
      • 1½ cups white whole wheat flour
      • ½ cup sugar
      • 1 teaspoon baking powder
      • 1 teaspoon baking soda
      • ½ teaspoon salt (optional)
      • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
      • ¼ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
      • ¼ cup oil
      • 2 teaspoons vanilla
      • 1½ cups strawberries, chopped
      Instructions
      1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line or grease 12 muffin cups.
      2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
      3. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, yogurt, oil and vanilla until blended. Add to flour mixture and gently mix until combined (Be careful not to over mix). Gently fold in strawberries.
      4. Divide batter evenly between muffin cups. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let muffins cool in pan for 5 minutes. Transfer muffins to wire rack and let cool completely.

      Adapted from Cate’s World Kitchen

      Strawberry Yogurt Muffins | alidaskitchen.com

      Filed Under: bread, breakfast, healthy, kid-friendly, Recipes Tagged With: , , , ,