Recipe Friday - Healthy Banana-Blueberry Muffins

Last week blueberries were on sale at my grocery store. Four pints for $5!!! I wanted to make blueberry muffins but last time I did, they turned out awful. I think I've honestly tried half a dozen recipes and none of them met my expectations.... until NOW! Thanks to Martha Stewart (she'll never let you down) I made the BEST blueberry-banana muffins ever! Seriously, my kids couldn't get enough of them.

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole-wheat flour (spooned and leveled)
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1/4 cup wheat germ (I used ground flax seeds instead)
  
• 1 teaspoon baking soda (I also added a teaspoon of cinnamon)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 ripe bananas (about 1 pound)
• 1/3 cup reduced-fat (2 percent) milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup frozen blueberries (I used a pint of fresh blueberries- YUMMY)
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. In a bowl, whisk together flours, wheat germ, baking soda, and salt.
2. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In another bowl, mash bananas with a fork (you should have 3/4 cup); stir in milk and vanilla.
3. With mixer on low, alternately add flour mixture and banana mixture to butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix just until combined. Fold in frozen blueberries.
4. Divide batter among muffin cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, 25 to 28 minutes, rotating pan halfway through. Let cool in pan 10 minutes; transfer muffins to a rack to cool 10 minutes more.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Healthy Banana-Blueberry Muffins and more delicious recipes, smart cooking tips, and video demonstrations on marthastewart.com

Recipe Friday - Pumpkin Muffins

Last Thanksgiving I decided to make a pumpkin pie. I bought all the ingredients and, never made it. I guess I got busy or something (can you imagine that?). So, obviously there's a can of pumpkin puree on my pantry shelf, just staring at me as if it's saying "I thought you were going to bake something yummy with me. Am I going to have to sit here until NEXT Thanksgiving?". Don't worry can of pumpkin puree, you'll be put to good use. I'm going to make PUMPKIN MUFFINS!

2 cups whole wheat flour OR 1 cup of whole wheat flour and 1 cup of oak flour (just stick a cup of oats in you blender for a few seconds)
1 cup Splenda with 1/2 cup skim milk powder OR 1 cup of sugar and no skim milk powder
2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup canned pumpkin
2 eggs (I use Omega-3 eggs)
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil

In large bowl, whisk flour, Splenda, skim milk powder (or just use 1 cup of sugar instead of Splenda and skim milk powder) pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In separate bowl, whisk eggs, blend in pumpkin, milk and oil. Pour over dry ingredients; stir just until moistened. Spoon into large paper-lined muffin cups, filling to top.

Bake in centre of 375ºF (190ºC) oven until tooth pick inserted in centre comes out clean, 20-25 minutes. Let cool on rack. ENJOY!