Lemon Berry Muffins

In an attempt to eat breakfast more frequently, I've started making these muffins for Ryan and me on Sundays. They are quick to make, and surprisingly healthy (about 185 calories and 7 grams of fat per muffin) - to make them even healthier use whole wheat flour. You can experiment with whatever type of berries you like - raspberries make them very tart, blueberries are a nice compliment to the lemon also and tone down the tartness. I'm thinking the next time I make these I'm going to put a 1/2 tsp of lavender in the processor with the lemon and sugar to see how that changes the flavor.

Before

After

Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients
1 lemon
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup lowfat buttermilk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 tsp real vanilla extract
2 cups flour (wheat, white or half and half)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup frozen berries (any type or mixed - whatever you like)

Pre-heat oven to 400

Peel rind off lemon with a vegetable peeler, avoiding white pith.  Place rind and sugar into a small food processor and pulse until lemon is well chopped and blended with sugar.  Put lemon sugar into a medium bowl, and add buttermilk, vegetable oil, egg, and vanilla.  Stir with whisk to mix and set aside.

In a larger bowl, mix dry ingredients (flour through salt) and then add wet ingredients to dry and stir with spatula to mix.  Add frozen berries and gently fold into batter.

Spray a muffin pan with oil and using a large spoon (I like my soup spoons for this part) scoop a spoonful of batter and place into each muffin cup.  Bake for 25 minutes or until brown on top.

Remove from oven and eat one or two while they are hot just to make sure they turned out ok :)

Once cool, place them in a ziploc bag and store in the fridge - they'll last you all week!

Blueberry Pancakes

These are delicious!

Combine in large bowl:
2 ½ cups flour
¼ cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

In a smaller bowl beat:
2 eggs

Beat in:
4 tbsp vegetable oil
2 1/2 cups buttermilk

Beat wet ingredients into dry until smooth.

Fold in 1 cup fresh blueberries

Cook on a hot griddle. It's time to turn the pancakes when they have bubbles rising to the top- about 2 minutes. Cook for another minute after turning.
Serve with butter and maple syrup.

Breakfast Blueberry Crumb Cake

Sift and combine in mixing bowl:

1 cup and 1 tbsp Flour

1 cup dry instant oatmeal (or additional cup flour if you do not want to use oatmeal)

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 and 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp kosher salt

Mix in to dry ingredients:

1 egg slightly beaten

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup milk

2 cups blueberries (frozen or ripe)

Spread into cake pan. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Crumble Streusel topping over the cake batter.

Streusel topping directions:

combine in bowl:

1/4 cup white sugar

1/3 cup gently packed brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp nutmeg

(mix)

stir in 1 stick melted butter

(mix- will be very liquidy)

sift and mix in 1 and 1/3 cup flour. (will become very paste like)

crumble streusel paste over top of cake batter with your hands- use all of it!

Place cake in oven- cook for 45-50 minutes, check with fork, if not done cook further and check at five minute intervals. Best served hot with french pressed coffee!