Rustic Lemon & Blueberry Muffins
I have to admit that when it comes to muffins, I have never strayed too far from my Mom’s banana chocolate chip recipe. It’s sweet but not too sweet and combines two of my favourite things: bananas and chocolate.
With berry season upon us on Prince Edward Island, I thought it was time to start testing new recipes featuring blueberries! I knew I wanted to use all whole wheat flour to boost the amount of fibre and do some experimenting (reducing sugar and oil amounts). I have finally come up with a recipe that rivals Mom’s banana chocolate chip variety (shh!).
When I’m baking sweets, I like to cut the sugar in ½, especially if I am adding fruit into the mix (or chocolate chips which is a little counter-intuitive, I know). I will then reduce the oil or butter in the recipe by ¼ - ½ and replace it with equal parts applesauce or mashed ripe banana. By modifying a muffin recipe in this way, the end product will be a denser, less “cakey” muffin – but delicious nonetheless. I tested this recipe on my family members and none of them even noticed the reduced sugar because it was packed full of delicious blueberries! Nature’s candy :)
I just love how rustic these muffins look. I adore rustic cooking; it always appeals to me more than perfectly plated dishes or perfectly formed baked goods (check out our homemade bread recipe in our blog for another rustic example).
These muffins freeze really well, in fact my favourite way to freeze them is with a slice of cheddar cheese wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen along side of the muffin. What a quick, filling (and inexpensive) snack to pack in a lunch or take on the run!
