Are blueberry muffins just as good without being loaded with sugar? Not until you get used to eating foods that that are not toxic from white sugar. Here’s a healthy compromise that will make you happy, whether you’re insulin resistant or not. The saving grace is a tiny spoonful of orange juice flavored glaze on top of warmed muffins. It manages to give you a sweet/tangy burst of sweetness without making a delightful blueberry muffin that tastes as sweet as a cake. I’ve even used my favorite baking tricks by adding more flavor to compensate for the lack of sugar by adding juice, citrus zest, sweet spices and fresh fruit. I suggest you start by cutting back on sugar gradually. Start with 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar in the muffin recipe below, cutting back each time you make this recipe, if desired.
- 1 C Fresh Blueberries
- 1¾ C plus 2 teaspoons All-purpose flour
- 1 T Aluminum-free baking powder
- 3 T Granulated sugar, (optional)
- ¼ t Freshly grated nutmeg
- ¼ t Ground Cinnamon
- 2 Eggs
- ¼ C Delicately flavored olive oil
- ¾ C Freshly juiced orange juice plus 1-2 tablespoons
- 1 t Grated lemon or orange zest
- ⅓ C Powdered confectioner's sugar
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
- Fill 12 muffin tins with paper baking cups
- Place blueberries in a small bowl and sift 2 teaspoons flour over them; lightly toss.
- In a large bowl, stir together 1¾ cup of flour, baking powder, sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon.
- In a medium bowl beat eggs lightly, add oil, orange juice and zest, and stir.
- Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and gently stir; but, to avoid over-mixing, fold in the blueberries when dry ingredients have been mostly moistened.
- Fill each muffin cup about ⅔ full.
- Bake 17-20 minutes, or until nicely browned on top and a toothpick when inserted into the center comes out mostly dry.
- In a small bowl, whisk 1-2 tablespoons of orange juice with the powdered sugar until it makes a smooth glaze.
- While muffins are still warm, spread ½-1 teaspoon of glaze over the top of each muffin.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
