Strawberry Lemon Muffins
It’s springtime and Mother’s Day is right around the corner. I’m going to share my recipe for Strawberry Lemon Muffins for those who are hunting something nice to make Mom for her special day or just looking for more ways to enjoy the tastes of Spring.
For some of you, strawberry season might be over and you can substitute the strawberries in these lovely muffins for the fruit of your choice. Blueberries, raspberries or even cherries would be a nice addition to these muffins. A quick trick for washing any of these fruits is to use the container they come from the store in (assuming you have store-bought and were not able to pick-your-own somewhere). The holes in the bottom act as drains and you still have an easy container to hold your berries.
I made large muffins with this batch but if you decide to use the small cupcake tins, you’ll need to chop the strawberries up a lot smaller so the muffin batter will fit. I also didn’t line my tins because I wanted the browned edges. Using liners does make it easy to clean the pan and to serve if carrying to work or an event.
I make them without a frosting or glaze, which makes them a an awesome breakfast muffin but for those who want a little more sweet for a dessert muffin consider adding a simple cream cheese frosting or a strawberry glaze.
Another great thing about these muffins is they are healthy. I love it when I’m able to create something that tastes as yummy as these muffins and they are low-fat, mostly whole wheat and have little added sugar. I don’t recommend switching all the flour for whole wheat flour because they would end up being too heavy, even using whole wheat pastry flour, as I did.
You could also up the lemon flavor if you are a lemon lover by adding more zest or juice. I wanted more of the strawberries to come through so left the lemon as a more subtle taste instead of overwhelming it.
My husband keeps saying I should mention the banana in it but this recipe really isn’t about the banana. It does have one over-ripe one in it to help me cut the amount of butter I would normally use in a recipe like this and it adds more liquid. You could substitute the banana with applesauce if you prefer. Another substitute you could do is to switch out the skim milk for almond or coconut milk.
We loved these lightly sweet and fruity muffins. In fact, my husband was just a little upset at me when I sent the last of them home with his Dad. He really didn’t want to share! I guess I’ll have to make him another batch real soon.
Strawberry Lemon Muffins
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. double action baking powder (use regular in low-altitude areas)
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. salt
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 overripe banana, mashed (or 3/4 cup applesauce)
Zest from 1 large lemon
1/2 cup fat-free Greek yogurt
1/3 cup skim milk (or almond or coconut milk)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 lb. fresh strawberries, washed and chopped (about 1 1/2 to 2 cups)
Pre-heat oven to 375°. Coat muffin tin with cooking spray or paper liners and set aside until needed.
Combine all the dry ingredients in a small bowl. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, butter, banana, lemon zest, yogurt, milk and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and stir until just moistened. Gently fold in the strawberries.
Fill the muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack.
Yield: 18 large muffins.
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