Lemon, Raspberry, and Blueberry Muffins

Here is one more "red, white, and blue" treat for you this weekend. We've been enjoying the fresh berries that we picked all week, but I needed to use up the last ones before we (hopefully) go and pick more tomorrow. My best intention is to pick enough to freeze so we can enjoy fresh local berries in baked goods and smoothies this winter. We'll see if I can pick enough... it's often hard with my little "helper" along for the ride!

This recipe is adapted from one that lives at allrecipes.com. The changes I made turned it into a more "sweet muffin" or more along the lines of a healthy cupcake. I took these along as a dessert item to a Fireworks Symphonia. They traveled well, but I will admit that I actually should not have put them in the cooler! They taste much better room temperature or slightly warmed.

Red, White, and Blue Berry Sweet Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 3 TBSP coconut oil (you can use vegetable oil as well)
• 2 TBSP lemon juice
• 2 TBSP half and half or milk
• 1 egg, plus one egg white
• 1/2 tsp lemon extract (optional)
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• grated lemon zest from half a lemon
• 1/2 cup raspberries, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup blueberries, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup white baking chips (optional)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 12 cup muffin tin or line with papers.
• In a large bowl, mix together the yogurt, oil, lemon juice, eggs, and lemon extract.
• In a separate bowl, stir together the sifted flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest.
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just blended.
• Gently stir in the raspberries, blueberries, and white chips.
• Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared muffin cups.
• Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until the tops spring back when lightly touched. Cool muffins in the tin on a wire rack.

Topping:

You have some choices here. I wanted something to mimic icing without having to make some. I took some white baking bar chocolate and melted it in the microwave for 30 seconds and smeared it on the tops of the muffins. It worked great for what I was going for! But you could also sprinkle some raw sugar on the tops of the muffins before they go into the oven (as the original recipe suggests). OR, you could also mix some powdered sugar (about 1/3 cup) with a tsp or so of lemon juice to make a quick lemon glaze to stripe on the muffins after they come out of the oven.

*And remember my earlier note... These definitely taste better at room temperature or slightly warmed. If you have to chill them overnight for using the following day, just make sure to give them some time out of the fridge before serving.