Tasty Tuesday: Lemon-Blueberry Oat Muffins

Back in July, I posted a recipe called The Best Blueberry Muffins. I was mistaken. I have since found a blueberry muffin recipe that I enjoy even more than those and have decided that they are now the SECOND Best Blueberry Muffins. Here are the BEST blueberry muffins:

Lemon-Blueberry Oat Muffins

Not my photo

1 cup quick-cooking oats

1 cup all-purpose flour*

1/2 cup sugar

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1 egg white

1 cup fat-free milk

2 tablespoons butter or stick margarine, melted

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel*

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries*

TOPPING:

1/2 cup quick-cooking oats

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon butter or stick margarine, softened

In a bowl, combine the first five ingredients. In another bowl, combine the egg, egg white, milk, butter, lemon peel, and vanilla; mix well. Add to dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in berries. Coat muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray or use paper liners; fill two-thirds full with batter. Combine topping ingredients; sprinkle over batter. Bake at 400 for 20-22 minutes or until top is lightly browned and springs back when lightly touched. Cool 5 minutes; remove to wire rack. Yield: 1 dozen.

Nutritional Analysis

*Note: I use whole-wheat flour, frozen blueberries, and 1/4 teaspoon of lemon juice instead of the peel, because I don't keep lemons stocked in my fridge. I have not tried these muffins made as directed, so I don't know if my substitutions change anything.

Tasty Tuesday: The Best Blueberry Muffins

(The muffins won out!)

Muffins are one of my favorite things to bake, and eat! These blueberry muffins are some of the better ones that I have made. The boys really enjoy helping me make these muffins, especially when they get to sprinkle the oats on top. I'm sure that there are probably much better recipes out there, but I'm done looking for them. This recipe is another from the same cookbook that I found "Sam's Favorite Muffins" in. They are originally called "Very Blueberry Whole Wheat Muffins". I like my name better.

The Best Blueberry Muffins

6 tablespoons butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2-1/2 cups blueberries, washed and stems removed

Preheat the oven to 375 and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and stir in the milk and vanilla extract. In another bowl, sift* the dry ingredients. Stir them into the butter and sugar mixture, then fold in the blueberries. Fill the muffin cups almost to the top and bake for 25 minutes, or until light brown. Makes 12 muffins.

Note:  These muffins were made with our fresh blueberries from our blueberry picking experience this past weekend.

*I skip the sifting step and just mix them together.

Tasty Tuesday: "Sam's Favorite Muffins"

In my great quest to find sneaky ways to get Owen to eat vegetables, I came across these awesome muffins. I think the recipe came from some 25 year old Disney cookbook from my mom's house. They were originally called "Good Morning Muffins", but I changed the name after Sam (my 5 year old "step-son"), kept raving about how they were his favorite. So now they are "Sam's Favorite Muffins", although everyone in the house devours them. Enjoy!



 

Sam's Favorite Muffins              

3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup grated apples
1 cup grated carrots
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 375. Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin or line it with paper liners and set aside. Blend the eggs, sugar, and oil until well combined. Stir in the grated apples and carrots. 

In a separate bowl, sift* the flours, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Blend the dry ingredients with the apple mixture until just combined. Spoon the batter into the muffin tins and bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Makes 12 muffins.


Note: I do find these muffins to taste slightly "eggy", so I usually add a little more cinnamon than what is called for. I have also substituted 1/4 cup of unsweetened applesauce for half of the vegetable oil a few times in an attempt to make them a little healthier. This does give them a slightly more apple flavor, and also makes the texture a little denser. I only bake mine for 20 minutes, otherwise they are dry and over-cooked.


*Possibly a sign of how old the cookbook is? Does anyone sift anymore? I'm pretty sure most of these ingredients are sold pre-sifted now.