A blueberry muffin you'll go bonkers for
One of my favorite summer activities is berry picking, particularly blueberry picking (best summer fruit EVER!). A local blueberry farm has live music two nights a week, so my friends and I go to picnic and pick berries. We're there for a few hours, and I always manage to pick way too many blueberries (even though I employ the "put-5-in-the-basket, put-handful-in-mouth" strategy).
Since my husband has high blood pressure, we eat a lot of blueberries-find out how they might help blood pressure and heart health. We freeze a bunch more and I love cooking with blueberries too. Here are a few of my favorite summer blueberry recipes.
Blueberry-Coconut-Macadamia Muffins (see recipe below): There are certain recipes that come out of the EatingWell Test Kitchen that the staff freaks out about. This is one of them. My co-workers would smell them baking from down the hall (mmm, coconut…) and rush the kitchen when they saw them on the counter.
Blueberry Tart with Walnut Crust: This super-easy tart comes together in a mere 30 minutes. One review on eatingwell.com says, "This was a MAJOR hit tonight. Rave reviews from our friends-amazing. Just the right balance of sweet and creamy, light and rich, simply delicious!"
Chicken & Blueberry Pasta Salad: Yes, blueberries and pasta. The addition of poached chicken and feta cheese makes this dish into a light and satisfying summer supper that's also great for a potluck. If you already have some leftover chicken, skip Step 1 and add shredded chicken in Step 4.
Old-Fashioned Fruit Crumble: Though you can use any fresh or frozen fruit in this recipe, blueberries are my favorite. Make a big batch of the crumble topping and freeze it so you can whip up dessert on the fly.
Blueberry-Coconut-Macadamia Muffins
The one-two punch of coconut and macadamia nuts in this luxurious muffin will make you think you're having your morning coffee in Hawaii. Drizzle with honey for an added touch of sweetness.
ACTIVE TIME: 20 minutes | TOTAL TIME: 1 hour
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut
2 tablespoons plus 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, divided
2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup brown sugar, divided
5 tablespoons chopped macadamia nuts, divided
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour (see Source) or whole-wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 large egg
1 large egg white
3/4 cup nonfat buttermilk (see Tip)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon coconut or vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen (not thawed) blueberries
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.
2. Combine coconut, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 2 tablespoons macadamia nuts in a small bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil; stir to combine. Set aside.
3. Whisk the remaining 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Whisk the remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar, the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, egg, egg white, buttermilk, butter and coconut (or vanilla) extract in a medium bowl until well combined. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients; stir until just combined. Add blueberries and the remaining 3 tablespoons nuts; stir just to combine. Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle with the reserved coconut topping and gently press into the batter.
4. Bake the muffins until golden brown and a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and let cool on a wire rack at least 5 minutes more before serving.
Makes 12 muffins.
Per muffin: 202 calories; 9 g fat (3 g sat, 4 g mono); 23 mg cholesterol; 28 g carbohydrate; 4 g protein; 2 g fiber; 122 mg sodium; 55 mg potassium.
Source: Look for whole-wheat pastry flour in the natural-foods section of large supermarkets and natural-foods stores. Sources include King Arthur Flour, (800) 827-6836, www.bakerscatalogue.com, and Bob's Red Mill, (800) 349-2173, www.bobsredmill.com.
Tip: No buttermilk? Mix 1 tablespoon lemon juice into 1 cup milk.
MAKE AHEAD TIP: Store, individually wrapped, at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. To reheat, remove plastic wrap, wrap in a paper towel and microwave on High for 30-45 seconds.
By Carolyn Malcoun
When associate editor Carolyn Malcoun came to Vermont to attend New England Culinary Institute, she knew she didn't want to work in a restaurant but knew that she wanted to do something in the food industry. Luckily she discovered EatingWell, where she's able to combine her love of food and writing.
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