Summer Berry Muffins

• Combining whole-wheat flour with white flour increases the fibre content of these muffins and adds valuable nutrients such as B-group vitamins.

• Fresh berries are naturally low in fat. They offer dietary fibre and make a good contribution to vitamin C intake. Raspberries also supply folate, and blueberries, like cranberries, contain a compound that helps to prevent urinary-tract infections.

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Use paper muffin cups to line 9 cups of a muffin pan or coat with cooking spray.
2. Sift the flours, salt and baking powder into a large bowl. Gently fold in the mixed berries.
3. Melt the margarine gently in a small saucepan, then add the sugar, egg and milk and mix until smooth. Pour this over the flour mixture and gently fold together just enough to combine the ingredients. The mixture should remain quite lumpy.
4. Spoon the mixture into the paper muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full. (Half-fill the empty cups with water.) Bake for 18–20 minutes or until the muffins are risen and golden-brown.
5. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly, then serve warm or allow to cool completely before serving. The summer berry muffins can be kept in an airtight container for 1–2 days.

Summer berry muffin variations:
• Instead of a mixture of white and whole-wheat flours, use all whole-wheat flour.
• For a hint of spice, add 1 1/2 teaspoons mixed spice, ground ginger or cinnamon with the flour.
• Replace the berries with other fresh fruit, such as chopped apples, apricots, peaches or strawberries or dried fruit, such as sultanas, raisins, chopped apricots, dates or figs.
• To make pear and cinnamon oatmeal muffins, mix 3/4 cup whole-wheat self-raising flour, 1/4 cup (50 mL) oat bran, 1 teaspoon (5 mL) baking powder, a pinch of salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon in a bowl. Fold in 1 peeled and chopped pear. In a separate bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons melted light margarine, 1/4 cup (50 mL) sugar, 2 eggs and 1/2 cup (125 mL) plus 2 tbsp (25 mL) orange juice. Pour this over the flour mixture and fold the ingredients together. Spoon into 9 paper muffin cups and bake as in the main recipe.
• For mini summer berry muffins, divide the mixture among 30 mini paper muffin cups and bake for 10 minutes.

preparation time 10 mins
cooking time 20 mins
makes 9 muffins

Each serving (one muffin) provides calories 98, calories from fat 18, fat 2 g, saturated fat 0 g, cholesterol 24 mg,
carbohydrate 18 g, fibre 1 g, sugars 8 g, protein 3 g.

Choices per serving: Carbohydrate 1, Fat 1/2