Small fruit....big smiles! It's blueberry season, my favorite season just after strawberry season! What is better than strawberry pie? Blueberry muffins! We ventured to Blue Ridge, Ga where we set out to go blueberry picking. My husband, Doug, and I went to an orchard where they provided you with a basket, a wagon ride to the blueberry field, and acres of the most amazing blueberries. We picked our fill and then were told we could graze in the blackberry field to taste some of the first berries of the season, just a hint of what is coming next! It will be another week before the blackberry fields will be open, so enjoy the blueberries now!
Aww fresh blueberries! Time to bake away. I made two peach blueberry pies with my Healthy Pie Recipe and then began searching for a healthy blueberry muffin recipe. I initially started with Healthy Blueberry Muffins by Love and Lemons. Love and Lemons is my 'go to' for many recipes Initially, I made the recipe with only one adaption (I used Stevia instead of sugar.) Doug, the taster, reported the muffins could be a little moister and sweeter. So with his encouragement, I made four changes to the recipe: 1) added 1/4 more almond milk, 2) replaced the 1/2 c sugar with 1/2 c. maple syrup and 1/2 c. Stevia, used 1 1/2 c. blueberries instead of 1 1/4 to add additional blueberries on the batter after putting batter in the pan. I also replaced the 1/2 tsp of cinnamon with 1 tsp of Apple Pie Spice (contains cinnamon, cardamon, and allspice) and added 1 tsp of lemon juice along with the zest. This adapted recipe put a smile on Doug's face and passed the taste test!
Healthy Blueberry Muffins (Inspired by Love and Lemons)
3/4 c. King Arthur all purpose flour (+ 2 Tablespoons- including a little for dusting the blueberries)
3/4 c. King Arthur whole grain flour
1/2 c. + 2 tablespoons aluminum baking powder
1 tsp. Apple Pie Spice
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4c. almond milk
1/4/ c. extra-virgin olive oil
2 large eggs
1/2 c. maple syrup
1/2 c. Stevia (sugar substitute)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 c. fresh blueberries
Preheat oven to 400 degress F. Place cupcake liners in muffin pans or grease muffin pans.
In a medium bow, combine flours, baking powder, Apple Pie Spice and salt.
In a large bow, whisk together the almond milk, olive oil, eggs, sugar, vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
Dust the blueberries with 1/2 tsp flour to prevent them from sinking to the bottom of pan.
Pour dry ingredients into wet ingredients and stir. Gently fold in 1 1/4 the blueberries. Use 1/2 c. measuring cup to fill 12 cups in a muffin pan to the brim. Drop remaining 1/4 c. blueberries on top of the mixture in pans. Bake 17-20 minutes or until muffins spring back to the touch. I baked 2 sets of muffins exactly 17 minutes and took them out of the oven to finish cooking in the pan and they turned out very moist.
Allow to cool for 10 minutes before carefully removing from pan with a knife around the edges. Cool on rack. Store in a a covered container for 2 days or place in the refrigerator or freezer.
I love the flavor of the Apple Pie Spice, lemon zest, and lemon juice. It adds extra flavor to the muffins and these muffins are super-moist!
Don't miss blueberry season! It is starting in an orchard near you soon! Be there and have a blueberry kind of day!
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