It has always been hard for me to start or end my day by eating a muffin. After all, aren’t they cakes labeled as breakfast food? If I were to make these muffins in the shape of a cake, I might have a second slice, but I would never eat two muffins. I remember a time when this was not a conundrum for myself or my friends.

Why bake when you can buy muffins? Simply put, have you read the ingredient list and calorie count on store-bought muffins in the bakery section?  Often the calorie count that is listed is for half of a muffin. They don’t want to frighten you with the caloric content of a whole muffin.

I have dissected the ingredients in an average blueberry muffin and adapted the ingredient list to contain less sugar and a lower, healthier fat option. This recipe is loaded with fresh organic blueberries, plain yogurt, olive oil, and has way less sugar than your average muffin, and doesn’t taste as if you have compromised at all.

Indulge. This recipe comprises natural, wholesome ingredients, making these blueberry muffins perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert.

You can prepare this recipe in a tube pan as a cake. Just grease and flour the pan and extend the cooking time. Slice away.

                                                  Scrumptious Healthier Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ cups of sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

¾ teaspoon of baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt  (* Not Greek Yogurt)

¾ cup low-fat milk

½ cup olive oil

3 large eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 cups fresh blueberries

Directions:

1.       Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  If making large muffins as pictured, grease and flour large muffin tins to make 10 muffins. Shake out excess flour before filling. If using average-sized tins, this recipe will make about 20 muffins. (see note for parchment paper cups)

2.       In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg. Mix well to combine.

3.       In a large bowl, whisk together yogurt, oil, eggs, milk, and vanilla extract. When well mixed, add in the flour mixture until well blended; gently stir in the blueberries.

4.       Bake for approximately 45 minutes for large muffins, or bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffin comes out clean.

Notes:

a.       Please remember to use regular low-fat yogurt, not the Greek style, as the consistency is not suitable for this recipe.

b.       Standard size no-grease parchment muffin cups can be purchased on Amazon, link below. The muffins take on a professional appearance when made in these cups. They present wonderfully and are low clean-up. I fill them up for a “full” muffin. I generally get 10- 12 muffins using this method.

c.       Lemon yogurt can be used to add a lemony twist.

d.       If preparing as a cake, use a greased and floured 10-inch tube pan and bake at the same temperature for approximately  1 hour or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.