Fresh Berry Lemon Muffins

This past weekend when I was shopping for food to make lunch for Brian’s mom and sister, I also went a little crazy with the fruit.

I don’t know what it was, but there were such great sales!

I bought 4lbs of strawberries and 4 containers of blueberries! 

I’ve been eating them with breakfast…on toast and in yogurt, and on their own, but I wanted to make a baked good.

Clearly muffins are my baked good of choice ;)

And nothing goes better with berries than fresh lemon!

I love lemon and berries combined…so many possibilities.

These muffins are light and dense at the same time.  Hard to explain, but I used milk, yogurt, AND some ricotta I had in the fridge.  That combined with fresh berries, keeps the muffins very moist.  They have a light, subtle lemon, subtle sweetness to them.

(I always make such a mess when I bake!)

Fresh Berry Lemon Muffins 

• 1 1/4 cup white whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup quick oats
• 1/2 cup organic granulated sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• zest from 1 lemon
• 2 T canola oil
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• 1/4 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt
• 2 T part skim ricotta (or just use more Greek yogurt)
• 1/2 cup blueberries
• 5-6 large strawberries, chopped

pre-heat oven to 375

Combine dry ingredients into a mixing bowl (flour through to salt).  **feel free to increase the sugar slightly if you prefer a sweeter muffin.

In a separate bowl combine lemon juice, zest, oil, egg, milk, yogurt, and ricotta.  Mix to combine.

Add wet ingredients to dry, and stir gently just to combine.  Fold in berries.

Spray a muffin tin with canola oil spray

  I used all the batter for the 12 cups, and filled them pretty much to the top.

Bake for 17-18 min, until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Let cool for a couple minutes in the pan before removing. 

Then cool on baking rack.

They feel heavy from all the fresh fruit inside, but taste light and delicious.  Not too sweet, which makes for a great breakfast muffin!

These muffins have approx. 150 calories a piece :)