Innichka Chef
Jun 26, 20226 min
Updated: Oct 9, 2023
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Did you know that in 1974, the USDA declared July “National Blueberry Month”?
Every year, when blueberry season arrives, we go a local place and pick them. We love blueberries, but who doesn't? Every year I try to create new recipes with these beautiful berries. They are so good for you; I believe them to be a superfood.
I have already published a few recipes:
My Ukrainian grandmother's recipe, Spelt Dumplings with Blueberries
But today it's all about an American classic and simple recipe for these powerful berries: MUFFINS!
Would you look at those blueberry-studded beauties? These specialty coffee shop looking blueberry muffins are moist and fluffy on the inside. Bursting with jammy blueberry flavor, containing yummy oats and zero refined sugar. These are my favorite homemade blueberry muffins and are ones that I make when time is of the essence. A big plus is that I am totally fine with feeding them to my babies.
You have probably heard that blueberries are good for you, but what amazes me is that blueberries are rich with insoluble and soluble fiber. This makes them extremely beneficial for your gut. Blueberries are considered a nutrient-dense food and have a pretty long list of vitamins, minerals as well as the most antioxidants than any other berries.
Native Americans knew the health benefits of blueberries. For centuries, this fruit was used for its medicinal properties and even used in cooking to bring an added dose of flavor to dishes. However, when the English arrived in the United States, they did not believe that blueberries could be domesticated.
1. In 1893, Elizabeth White, the daughter of a cranberry grower in New Jersey,
started adding blueberries to her family’s local crops.
2. Fifteen years later, botanist Frederick Coville began conducting experiments
on blueberries, seeking to determine the best wild plants for breeding, and
teamed up with White to help crossbreed and create some of the most
delicious blueberry varieties we know and love today.
3. The first commercial crop of blueberries was sold in the year 1916, just over
100 years ago.
4. In 1974, the USDA declared July “National Blueberry Month.”
5. In 2003, New Jersey chose the blueberry as its official state berry.
6. By 2012, blueberries were found in nearly 4,000 products and not only foods,
but in cosmetics and pet products as well.
As we see evidence continues to grow of the long list of health benefits of blueberries and there’s no doubt that we’ll continue to see more of these delicious berries.
1. This recipe is made with whole and nutrient-dense ingredients.
2. Whole wheat flour, especially freshly ground, has much more health
benefits vs all-purpose flour. I do recommend grinding your own flour in
order to avoid preservatives and receiving the best flavor as well. I like
using this mill or buying organic whole wheat flour like this one.
3. These muffins contain oats, which make them even more breakfast
friendly, especially for picky eaters who, like my oldest son, never eats
oatmeal.
4. Only maple syrup or honey is used to sweeten these delicious treats: zero
refined sugar.
5. Good quality grass fed butter is just an excellent addition to your diet, for
the children whose brains are developing need good quality animal fat as
protein if not more so.
Blueberries, if you are picking yourself or buying organic berries from a trusted source where berries grow without pesticide, I recommend not washing them and here is why.
The whitish layer is famous as the “bloom.” The most important, the bloom is a marker of the freshness of your blueberries. The berries in bloom are juicier, softer, and plumper! It is not the white layer on top that you should be worried about; instead, you should be worried if there is no white layer at all!
Oats, old-fashioned whole rolled oats, organic I prefer.
Flour, whole wheat, organic and if freshly ground it's even more special and delicious. I love to grind my flour; this mill I'm using, and I am obsessed with it. Freshly ground flours create a very nice nutty aroma, and nothing can beat the freshness.
Eggs, fresh are best, right?
Butter, grass-fed only, with the highest fat content. I have ever used in my kitchen, beautiful deep yellow color.
Baking powder, aluminum free if you can find it. If not, keep reading this blog and you will find how easy it is to make yourself.
Honey or maple syrup, either one works well in this recipe.
1. Easy and simple to make, no equipment (mixer) needed.
2. Tasty and satisfying.
3. Warm and buttery with a rich blueberry flavor.
4. Has some oats, great for breakfast.
5. Sweetened with maple syrup.
6. Bursting with jammy blueberry flavor.
As a mom who cares about what goes into my children's mouths a lot, I have been concerned about any heavy metals in any form like aluminum, mercury, arsenic, lead, etc. Most baking powders on the market contain aluminum. Not only is it bad for you, especially for the brain, also it adds an odd flavor to your food. So, I'm always on the hunt for a better choice to improve taste and health.
According to David LeBotivz:
"One of the least expensive, and most effective, things you can do to improve the taste of your cakes, quick breads, cookies, and muffins is to switch to aluminum-free baking powder. Baking powder is a leavening agent, and it’s usually called for in recipes where there are alkaline (as opposed to acidic) ingredients. In actuality, baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is one of the ingredients in baking powder, which, when moistened, releases carbon dioxide, which causes baked goods to rise. Even though no definitive correlation has been found regarding health problems arising from using regular baking powder and cooking with non-anodized aluminum pots and pans. I use it for the taste.
If you’ve ever experienced or rather a “tinny” flavor when biting into a muffin, that’s because of the baking powder used—and often the overuse of it".
But remember, you are the king of your health! You can make choices and here is a great alternative to store bought aluminum-based baking powder. Keep reading!!!
Ingredients:
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon cornstarch (optional)
Instructions:
Sift ingredients together. Store extras in an airtight container for up to a month.
If you love muffins and are always on the hunt for a healthy kind, here is another recipe must try that is rich in protein and citrus flavor:
Muffins stay fresh covered at room temperature for a few days. For longer storage, transfer them to the fridge for up to 1 week or freeze for up to a month.
Let's make them...
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Bake Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 12 muffins
Author: Inna of innichkachef.com
1 cup whole milk
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 and 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder (how to do it, see note above)
1/2 teaspoon pink salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup honey or maple syrup
1/2 cup butter, grass fed (melted)
1 extra-large egg or 2 small
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1. Preheat oven 425F. Spray a 12-count muffin pan with nonstick spray or use cupcake liners.
2. Mix milk and oats together. Set aside for 10-20 minutes, or until oats observe all moisture. This step is crucial to the recipe! If you like to speed up the prosses use hot milk or if you on a rush do the night before and let soak oats the cold liquid in a fridge. Before using give it a stir.
3. Whisk one cup of flour, and the rest of dry ingredients: baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together.
4. Whisk the melted butter (not extremely hot), honey, and egg together in a medium bowl until combined.
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stir. Then add the soaked oats, rest of the flour, and vanilla. Gently mix all together with a spatula, no mixer needed. And last but not least, fold the blueberries into the muffin batter.
Again, gently fold until everything is combined.
6. To make a streusel, combine the room temperature butter, sugar and oats together with your fingers.
Spoon the muffin batter into liners, filling them all the way to the top. Now add the streusel. Place in the oven and bake for 5 minutes.
7. Next, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and bake for an additional 15-16 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let the muffins cool for 5 minutes in the muffin pan, then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling. Enjoy them warm or at room temperature.
I hope you'll make this recipe soon. If you do, please tag me #innichka_chef on Instagram, Facebook, Patreon or Pinterest.