Something about a muffin says “comfort,” and muffins have become one of the most popular breakfast offerings in coffee shops and cafés, maybe because they go so well with an espresso or a latte, or maybe because they are so cute and tidy. But you don’t have to pay $3 for a muffin. You can bake them at home for a fraction of the price, and yours will be even better because you can put anything you like in your own muffins.
Berry Good Muffins
Preparation time: About 5 minutes
Cooking time: About 20 minutes
Yield: 12 muffins
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup plain or vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup canola oil
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups fresh or frozen defrosted berries (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, sliced strawberries)
1/4 cup chopped pecans or almonds (optional)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.
In a mixing bowl, stir to combine the flour, baking powder, brown sugar, and salt. In another bowl, stir to combine yogurt, oil, beaten egg, and vanilla extract.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix gently with a spatula just until combined. (A few lumps are fine.) Add berries and gently fold them into the batter.
Using a spoon or ladle, fill each muffin cup about 2/3 full. Sprinkle each muffin with one teaspoon chopped nuts (optional).
Bake the muffins for 20 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature with butter.
Per serving: Calories 226 (From Fat 93); Fat 10g (Saturated 1g); Cholesterol 19mg; Sodium 217mg; Carbohydrate 30g (Dietary Fiber 1g); Protein 4g.
Vary It! Replace the berries with 1 cup chocolate chips, or use 1 cup each berries and chocolate chips. Add up to 1/2 cup chopped nuts, grated coconut, or dried fruit to the batter with the fresh berries. Chopped peaches, nectarines, apricots, or plums could also stand in for the berries.