Blueberry Orange Muffins with Streusel Topping

I'm not sure if I ever posted a dessert on my blog??? Less than a handful that's for sure. Anyways, most of those who know me know that I don't love baking (I love eating baked goods though, does that count???) I make challah, and I do love making cookies, but nothing super fancy or anything like that. I had 2 pints of deliciiiiious organic blueberries in my fridge and did NOT want them to go to waste because I would hate throwing that good stuff away. So I decided to make these blueberry muffins, which I've made before, but forgot just how good they are! The orange complements the blueberry so well, & the juice makes them so moist. Since my kitchen gets SO hot, I decided to refrigerate them for the week, & pop one into the microwave when I wanted one. I even gave one to Rosie- she loved them! & I loved watching her eating them (though i can't admit I loved the mess it made!)

P.S. This is a great, quick recipe to make & share- my first batch went so quickly, me and Rosie each had 1 out of the oven, & I sent some to a friend who had a baby. I ended up buying more blueberries & making another batch when my good friend had a baby girl, so I sent some to the hospital for her. They are the perfect thing for new mommies!

Blueberry Orange Muffins with Streusel Topping (adapted from "Meal Leani Yum"- an amazing health food cookbook)
-1 egg + 2 egg whites (or 2 eggs)
-1 cup sugar (I used 3/4 cup brown sugar)
-3 tbsp. canola oil
-1/2 cup orange juice

-1 tsp. vanilla

-1 tsp. orange zest

-1.5 cups flour (I used white whole wheat flour)
-1.5 tsp. baking powder
-Pinch of salt
-2 cups of blueberries
-2 tbsp. sugar
-1 tbsp. flour

(I did this all in a mixing bowl & used a whisk and spatula to mix)
-Whisk the sugar & vanilla into the eggs. Add the canola, OJ, zest, & vanilla
-Combine the flour, baking powder, & salt & add in 2 additions to the wet ingredients, mix in between until just combined. Rule of thumb with making muffins- don't overmix (yes I know some rules of thumb when it comes to baking!!)

-In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the blueberries, 2 tbsp. sugar, & 1 tbsp. flour & mix. When combined, add it to the batter, & mix.
-Using the same bowl, make the streusel topping:
-1 tbsp. margarine (I used Earth Balance)
-1/4 cup brown sugar
-3/4 tsp. cinnamon
-1/4 cup flour (again, I used the white whole wheat)

-Mix with your fingers for a few minutes, incorporating all the ingredients into the margarine, until it becomes a crumb-like mixture.
-Pour the batter in a 12-cup muffin tin (or a 6-cup large muffin tin), and distribute the streusel evenly over the tops. Bake at 350 for roughly 20 minutes, more or less depending on your oven. Rotate the pan in the middle. Check with a toothpick for doneness (comes out clean)- my oven is not the most even baker so some muffins were done before others so I took them out first, as not to over-bake them. Take the muffins out of the pan immediately and set on a wire rack to cool. Keeping them in the hot muffin pan will just cause the residual heat to keep baking them.

You really don't need to feel THAT guilty about these. Feel free to cut back on the sugar a bit, if you want, especially if the blueberries are sweet, these were. Even if you cut the sugar to half, and they end up not being so sweet on your own, you can make up for that by having a muffin with a spread of peanut butter- healthy fat, & adds great flavor without the guilt.

E