Introducing the Family to Healthy Baking

I like to bake. Truly prefer it to cooking, so I decided last night I needed a snack. And I wanted it to be one the kids might enjoy. You see I'm all about eating better, not keeping yourself from completely banning all sweets. I think moderation is key and using healthy ingredients is a definite bonus.

After consulting w/ Josh on what I should bake he agreed to try Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins. I had all the ingredients right down to the fresh blueberries. And I'd been waiting to try out the whole wheat flour I'd added to my baking supplies last month. So Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins it was. My kids all eat whole wheat bread. In fact they prefer it. This summer while staying with friends one of my friends picked up some white Wonder Bread for my kids. My kids could care less about this wonder surprise. It was I who grew up on white bread. So I'm the one who enjoyed eating grilled cheese and tomato sandwiches one after another on this bread. But my kids, they actually prefer 100% whole wheat bread as it's all they've ever really known at our house. It's generally all I keep in the house. This said, surely they'd enjoy whole wheat muffins, right?!

Now I did noticed one of the recipes did not call for sugar at all. I knew this was a leap not even I would do well with much less my kids, so I went w/ the recipe that called for a half cup of sugar. Still not overly sweet, but just enough. Or so I thought.

I happily brought the warm batch of muffins from the oven. In not waiting to try one I burnt my mouth on steaming blueberries but did not care. By the way, on a side note, why is a berry so delicious fresh, yet so tasteless in a muffin. I know if I bought the sugared up canned version it would be sweet, but alone when baked it seems to me like all sweetness is baked right out. Just a comment.

Anyway, I brought my warm yummy muffins out and offered one to Josh. He took a bite instantly making a face saying they had no taste. Now, Josh and I have always had a conflict on what is and what is not sweet enough. I love fresh whipped whipping cream even if it has no sugar at all or very little. I love scones, which Josh refers to as "tasteless hockey pucks." So his reaction and my new favorite Josh quote should not have surprised me "these taste like scones had a baby w/ a bag of flour," he ranted. I even begged him to try them w/ butter to no avail. Keeping in mind, however, I don't think a good muffin even needs butter. But I was desperate for approval! At least he tried them. Perhaps one day he'll agree less is more in the baking department. And then again, perhaps I'll always get the whole batch to myself.

Scott does not eat much in the bread department at all, so he didn't try them, but rather just laughed at the adventures of Josh trying them. Jesse would never even try something like this at all, so he passed. Lilly eagerly tried one. Handed it over after spitting a blueberry in my hand. Then tried another. And then handed that one over. Both she, Jesse and Josh finally decided on ice cream.

Perhaps this won't encourage you to try them, but I say "give them a chance." In spite of my kids' reactions. I personally not only love them, but love them even more today. It's like they taste sweeter after sitting over night. I have no idea if they are or not as noted above I'm not a fan of the overly sweet.

At any rate, I'm basking in another sweetness today. The whole batch is mine to enjoy over the next several days. I hope you'll give them a try. Maybe you'll like them!

Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins

1 egg
1/2 c. milk
1/4 c. oil
3/4 c. whole wheat flour
3/4 c. white flour
1/2 c. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. chopped nuts
1 c. blueberries, frozen or fresh

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Beat egg; stir in oil and milk. Mix in remaining ingredients just until flour is moistened. Batter should be lumpy. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove from pan. (Grease bottoms of muffin pans if cupcake paper isn't used.)

Enjoy!