As I sit here writing this, fond memories of watching my mom spend hours and hours making precious homemade cakes and muffins come to mind.  I am on a little step stool and she is letting me whisk the eggs into the flour.  The sun is shining into the kitchen and I can hear the faint sound of Ella Fitzgerald’s voice keeping us company….

Alright, so none of that is actually true.  I am not a baker, and neither is my mother (though she is an incredible cook!).  I might have licked the bowl from a Duncan Hines box mix once or twice, but that’s about as far as it went in our house.  It is only recently that I’ve gotten into baking and learned to enjoy the delicate science behind it.  This week I had one client request healthy breads/muffins for out of town visitors and another I was consulting with on the dangers of sugars and artificial sweeteners.  I had a blast creating healthy recipes and options for both that used nutrient-rich ingredients and all-natural sweeteners.  This blueberry muffin was a favorite.  Without using oil, butter, white flour or refined sugar, I think it gives any other healthy blueberry muffin a good run for its money.  Especially first thing in the morning, toasted until crisp, alongside a bowl of fruit and cup of tea.  No Duncan Hines box required.

Recipe: Blueberry-Maple Flax Muffins

Yield: 12 muffins

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons whole flaxseeds
• 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 cup nonfat buttermilk
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest
• 1 tablespoon orange juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 pint fresh blueberries (approx. 2 cups)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat 12 muffin cups with cooking spray.

Grind flaxseeds in a clean coffee grinder or dry blender. Transfer to a large bowl.  Add whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt; whisk to blend.  In a separate bowl whisk eggs and maple syrup until smooth. Add buttermilk, applesauce, orange zest, orange juice and vanilla; whisk until blended.

Make a well in the dry ingredients and stir in the wet ingredients with a rubber spatula just until moistened. Fold in blueberries. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups.

Bake the muffins until the tops are golden brown and spring back when touched lightly, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Loosen edges and turn muffins out onto a wire rack to cool slightly.

Enjoy!

DK