Whole Grain Blueberry Muffins

Pssst...  Hey, it's me.  And I have a pesky reminder...  It's January.  Which means that technically, our New Year's resolutions are not null and void quite yet.  But fret not.  I have some muffins that will start your morning off right, while staying on the right side of the calorie gods.

Frankly, I'm not a dieter.  While I don't count carbs or swear off dairy, eating consciously is really important to me, and I believe in making little tweaks here and there to make my everyday meals and snacks just a little bit healthier (although all bets are off when it comes to those special occasion cakes).  This recipe is a perfect example of that.  White all-purpose flour is replaced with whole wheat flour, whole grain oats get added to the mix, and butter takes a day off in place of lowfat yogurt and just a bit of vegetable oil.  The result is a rustic, satisfying muffin.  And don't worry, the butter will still be there tomorrow.

Blueberry, meet lemon.  You two should be together forever and always.  These blueberries came from the Mar Vista Farmers' Market, and there was a line 15 people deep to get them.  But they are ever so worth it.

Mix whole wheat flour, oats, baking powder, brown sugar, and salt in bowl.

 

Now measure out some yogurt.  When we were in high school, Allison didn't like yogurt, but I converted her.  I've been a yogurt girl from the outset.

Put your yogurt in a bowl along with some vegetable oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, an egg, and a splash of milk.

 

Now mix the dry ingredients into the yogurt mixture, and mix until everything is incorporated.

The next step is important.  Carefully fold your blueberries into the batter.  I use a rubber spatula, but you just want to gently fold your batter over the top of the blueberries.  Blueberries are sensitive, and if you whack them with your spoon, they're going to fall apart and you will have purple batter.  That's fine if you're into that kind of thing, but I'm personally not a fan.

 

Butter your muffin tin...

 

And pour in your batter.

 

Bake them up, and bask in the good smell of your apartment!  Aren't you glad your blueberries stayed in tact?  Enjoy these muffins with a cup of tea and a dot of honey, you'll be glad you did.

 

Whole Grain Blueberry Muffins

These muffins are more "bready" than sweet, so if you're more inclined toward a sweeter muffin, add in 1/4 cup honey with the wet ingredients.

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (sold in the baking aisle)

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup rolled oats

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup lowfat yogurt (I used plain, but you can use vanilla if you want more sweetness)

1 egg

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 teaspoons lemon juice

zest of one lemon

1/4 cup milk

1 1/2 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.

Mix the flour, sugar, oats, baking powder, and salt.

In another bowl, mix yogurt, egg, vegetable oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, and milk.

Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, and stir to combine.  Gently fold in blueberries.

Fill 12 greased muffin cups with batter.  Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes, checking frequently (mine took exactly 18 minutes).  Muffins are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.