Fresh Strawberry Muffins

It feels as though Spring has definitely sprung! It stays light outside later, the temperatures are warming up, and berries are popping up in the grocery stores cheaper and juicier! Strawberries are Alyssa’s favorite food, I’d say. When we go grocery shopping I always let her have a snack while we shop. I’d say 9 times out of 10, she asks for a fresh tin of strawberries. Sometimes it will be grapes or pretzels, but rarely. Sometimes we will get to the register and I will have to pay for an empty 1 pound tin of strawberries, filled with the green leafy tops. Its not a secret what happened though based on my 3 year old’s red stained face and hands. Oh and her shirt too, since that’s what she uses to wipe the berries clean. I really need to start preparing better and bring a damp paper towel with me for her to use instead. If she happens to have a light colored shirt on, I make her use her pants. I make sure to pick up some extra stain stick too, don’t worry! Anyway, last week, our 2nd one pound tin of strawberries somehow got buried in the refrigerator and forgotten about for a couple of days. The berries started looking a little pathetic so I felt the need to use them up before wasting food *gasp*! And these super healthy and moist strawberry muffins were born.

Fresh Strawberry Muffins

1 3/4 cup flour (preferably sprouted whole wheat)

1/3 cup sugar (coconut palm or unrefined organic), can substitute honey

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup milk

1 egg

1/4 cup plain greek yogurt

3/4 tsp vanilla

1 1/2-2 cups diced strawberries

oats for garnish (optional)

Mix the dry ingredients together (flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt).

Add the wet and stir until combined. Fold in strawberries.  Make sure the strawberries are diced pretty small, the size of a bean maybe.

I like mine very strawberry-y so I use the whole 2 cups. You could also use sour cream or applesauce instead of the greek yogurt or if you wanted to, go all out with butter. But I like them being guilt free so I stick with the yogurt. A flavored yogurt like vanilla or strawberry would be great too!

Sprinkle with a couple oats and push onto batter lightly. This is just for garnish to look pretty so you can easily omit this. Bake at 375 F for 20-25 minutes. Mine took about 20, but I like my baked goods slightly undercooked.

Dive in and enjoy! Its like each bite is pre smeared with fresh strawberry jam. I made a half batch the first night when I was messing around with the ingredients. Since all 6 were eaten in 1 sitting by my family I made the full 12 the next night. And that night I happened to have a little extra buttercream frosting from Alyssa’s 3 1/2 birthday cupcakes. I put a little bit on top and oh my gosh, out of this world! It became a chocolate covered strawberry muffin. Dave and I both agreed we liked the muffins with icing better than the full blown cupcakes with icing. If you are ever making a birthday treat for someone who is into healthy eating, make these! The muffins are so 100% guilt free, its ok to splurge a little on the homemade chocolate buttercream. They are so fresh tasting!

This recipe is just in time for berry season which seems to have just begun. I LOVE strawberries and can’t wait to make these all throughout the summer when Alyssa and I go berry picking at a local farm. I may even request the frosted version for my birthday cupcakes this summer!

And if you needed anymore convincing to make these ASAP, check out the nutritional stats for 1 muffin…

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 muffin (62 g)

Calories 95 Calories from Fat 3

Total Fat                      0.4g      1%

TransFat                      0.0g

Cholesterol                  0mg       0%

Sodium                       65mg     3%

Total Carbohydrates     20.5g     7%

Dietary Fiber                2.3g      9%

Sugars 7.7g

Protein 3.5g

Vitamin A   0% • Vitamin C 24% Calcium 5% • Iron 3%

Only 95 calories per muffin and 3.5 grams of protein! Thats a pretty powerful muffin. I often eat food that is healthier because it is better for me, and sometimes you have to sacrafice a little taste. Like cookies made with banana instead of butter just aren’t the same. But these, you would never know how healthy they are by tasting them!