A Breakfast to Nourish the Soul

Today is the day to prepare my family a breakfast to nourish the soul, featuring my delicious blueberry muffins. Enjoy!

Last week there was one day during which it had been raining non-stop since the night before, a pretty rare occurrence here in Israel. I didn’t have any plans for that morning, a couple of kids happened to have stayed home, and my husband was running late. A thought came down the pipeline today is the day to prepare my family a breakfast to nourish the soul, featuring my delicious blueberry muffins.

I had been wanting to make the muffins for a couple of weeks already but somehow had not gotten around to it. That rainy morning, there were no distractions or anything to rush off to. I looked outside at the stormy weather, and then at my husband and kids, and decided this was definitely a morning that called for a pampering breakfast.

Now, I am definitely not a baker. Just ask my poor husband who grew up with a whiz of a baker for a mom. The contrast – oy! However there are a few things I can make really well: white spelt challa, sourdough bread, dairy cinnabuns, dairy chocolate chip cookies and dairy blueberry muffins. Anything else I have ever attempted has flopped. I know – go figure.

I looked outside at the stormy weather, and then at my husband and kids, and decided this was definitely a morning that called for a pampering breakfast!

I wanted to share this recipe with you because it’s always nice to have a go-to breakfast treat for the family, that’s not overly sweet and still kind of healthy. This is also a great grab & go option for those family memebers who are in a hurry. On this particular morning I went for the sit-down breakfast option: I served blueberry muffins alsonside strawberries and sourcream, scrampled eggs with spinach, and freshly squeezed orange juice. If your family does not like blueberries, you can substitute chocolate chips instead.

Other than the muffins, everything was quick and simple to make and well worth the outcome – happy, grateful and nourished family members.

This recipe is adopted from a Martha Stewart recipe for blueberry muffines, which I’ve tweaked to my liking. By the way, I have found her baking recipes to be outstanding! There’s something about this recipe that is so much fun! Dare I say it’s the butter. Yes, nothing better than baking with butter.

Dairy Blueberry Muffins

Makes 18 muffins

Ingredients for crumb topping (optional)

1 cup whole wheat flour

¼ cup brown sugar

¼ tsp salt

1/3 cup softened butter

Ingredients for muffins

3 cups 70% whole wheat flour

1 TBS baking powder

1 tsp salt

¾ stick softened butter

1 ¼ brown sugar

1 large egg plus two large egg yolks

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ cup dairy creamer

½ cup milk

2 cups blueberries (can be frozen)

Directions

For the crumb topping:

Mix flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Pour in melted butter and mix with a spatula until large cumbs form.

For the muffins:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Line a 12 cup muffin tray with paper liners.

Mix flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.

With a mixer, cream butter and sugar.

Add eggs and vanilla until well combined. Reduce speed to low and add alternatinglyflour mixture and milk and cream, beginning and ending with flour.

Fold in blueberries by hand (or the chocolate chips).

Divinde batter evely into prepared liners and top with the crmb topping.

Bake, until golden on top, about 30 minutes. Cool in tins for 15 minutes before turning out muffines.

These are best eaten warm and are wonderful together with tea or cofee.

Happy baking!