Dorset Yogurt Blueberry Muffins

Friends...friends.... Do you ever sit and think of a possible new recipe all day? Do you know the smell and taste of it even before you dare begin to create the recipe? Well, being the die hard foodie that I am, I do. It's a sickness - it has to be. Who in the world sits all day and thinks of different ways to make blueberry muffins? I am a huge Dorset cereal fan - there isn't one I don't like. In fact, I buy two or three boxes of different ones and mix them all together in a KlipIt cereal container.

Back to the recipe...so today I was thinking of blueberry muffins. I was reflecting back on a muffin I had at a bakery cafe in Santa Barbara, California, more than 20 years ago. I told you all I was a foodie freak. The muffin was usually sold out by 8:00 am every morning but I made sure to get mine. Unfortunately, the restaurant is long gone and Jeannine's bakery is now touted to have the best muffin in Santa Barbara. I live in Lynchburg.

Jessica bought a muffin for me from Lorraine's bakery at The City Market...scrumptious. Definately my favorite in the city right now. I have a great recipe for Blueberry muffins that comes out similar but not quite as good as Lorraine's, I am up for a challenge.

So anyway, I was thinking about blueberry muffins and how I could make them healthier. My first thought was to use Dorset cereal in the muffin mix to add whole grains and other fruit such as dates, raisins and toasted coconut. Instead of buttermilk, which is what I use to make my bran muffins, I decided to use Activa vanilla yogurt instead. And instead of butter, I used Smart Balance vegan spread.

Fellow Foodies, these muffins are so good I had to hide them from my nieces (one is 15 and the other is 10). They are my taste testers. If a food can pass the kid test, it can usually pass anything.

So here is my recipe, give it a try:

• 1 cup all purpose flour (or two cups if you prefer cakey muffins over grainy ones)
  
• 1 cup whole grain flour
  
• 1 1/2 cup Dorset Cereal of your choice
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (I prefer kosher salt - no iodine)


• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
  
• 2 tablespoons sugar (Remember that vanilla yogurt contains sugar. If you decide to use plain yogurt, add two more tablespoons of sugar and a teaspoon of vanilla bean paste)


• 2 tablespoons orange zest
  
• 2 Cups Vanilla Yogurt - I used Activa because it's what I had on hand. You can try using any flavor yogurt you want. The next time I make these I will use vanilla greek yogurt because it has more protien than regular yogurt.


• 2 beaten eggs (room temperature)
  
• 4 tablespoons melted Smart Balance Spread or unsalted butter if you want the yummy taste of butter


• Fresh or drained thawed frozen blueberries (fresh are better - tis the season)
  
  Mix dry and wet ingredients separately then mix together gently until moist. Fold in blueberrys trying not to crush them. The batter will be thick and lumpy so don't get scared and think you have to add more liquids.
  
  Spoon into regular sized muffin tins. Use wax paper or muffin cups to line or grease the bare tin.
  
  Cook 20 - 25 minutes at 375 degrees. I used my convection baking settings but regular will be fine.
  
  Cook the muffins for about 10 minutes then brush with egg wash, top with more Dorset cereal and sugar crystals or brown sugar.
  
  The muffins will rise beautifully. Cake test using broom straw, cake tester or whatever method you use to test cakes. Muffins are done when the tester comes out clean.
  
  Give this recipe a try and let me know what you think.