sweet miscellany

It’s no surprise to anyone that knows me that I like blue. More specifically, I like all hues of aquas, turqouises, and any other blue-green shade you can think of. As I am writing this, I am wearing a turquoise tank top. How predictable of me. I think the problem is that I am verrrrrry picky about color and blue shades are what I’m drawn to. My closet is a sea of blue, grey, and white (no pun intended).

So now that you know I am drawn to blue things, it might help explain why I bought some organic blue corn meal. I saw it out of the corner of my eye in the bulk section and almost tripped trying to run over to it. Yes, I ran like a dork, what of it? Aside from my blue obsession, I also got some because I have a secret love for blue corn tortilla chips. To me, the blue corn has a sweeter taste than white or yellow.

Since blue corn meal is a little sweeter, I decided to go with a muffin. I know, I know, I just posted a muffin, but these are quite delicious and I promise I won’t post another one for a while. These muffins would make for a nice breakfast paired with some fruit and yogurt. Or, if you want to go the decadent route, a little cream cheese icing and a drizzle of honey would be amazing.

Sweet Blue Corn Muffins

These muffins are sweet with a crunchy top thanks to a generous sprinkling of raw sunflower seeds. If you don’t like sunflower seeds, you can leave them off but I think they add a nice earthy contrast to the sweet flavors in the muffin. This recipe only makes 6 muffins but it can easily be adjusted to make a dozen.

6 tbsp blue corn meal
6 tbsp whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup grapeseed oil (or other neutral oil)
2 tbsp unsweetend plain applesauce
1 large egg plus 1 egg white
1/4 to 1/2 cup raw cane sugar (depending on how sweet you want them)
raw sunflower seeds for sprinkling on top

Preheat your oven to 350F and line a muffin tin with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients. In a separate medium or large bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients until they are combined. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined. Fill the cups with batter about 3/4 of the way and then sprinkle with the sunflower seeds. Bake the muffins for 20-25 minutes or until the tops spring back when touched. Cool them in the pan for 10 minutes and then transfer them to a rack to cool completely.

** if you double the recipe, use 3 large eggs and 3/4 cup each of blue corn meal and whole wheat pastry flour

One of the fondest memories I have of my father involves picking wild dewberries in the summer. It was usually after softball practice that we would stray beyond the manicured field into the “wild” vegetation and hunt for dewberry vines. We call them dewberries down here in Texas, but they are known as wild blackberries elsewhere. They have a distinct tartly sweet taste that is not found in the blackberries you buy in the grocery store. Though they have a lot of seeds in proportion to their small size, the flavor is completely worth it.

The trail I walk on close to my home is lined with thorny dewberry vines displaying their bright purple and red jewels. To be quite honest, I find it hard to concentrate on doing much else than staring at them or stopping to pick some as a little snack every walk I go on during their short season. Several weeks ago I brought a bucket to the trail and decided to pick as much as I could manage. Despite several thorny splinters and scratches, I was able to pick 6 pounds.

Having a mound o’ dewberries staring me in the face inspired me to use them right away in a tasty breakfast muffin. They are studded with dewberries, brightened with lemon zest, and sweetned with wildflower honey. If you can’t pick your own dewberries, any berry will work nicely.

Lemon Scented Dewberry Muffins (gluten free)

*since almond meal is used instead of flour, these muffins are very dense and moist. Be careful not to add more than the called for amount of dewberries as it will make the batter too moist and the muffins will not bake or set correctly.

makes 6 muffins

2 cups almond meal
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp fine grain sea salt
2 eggs
1/4 cup coconut oil, barely warmed
1/4 cup wildflower honey
zest of 1 lemon
about 1/2 cup of dewberries

Preheat your oven to 350F and line your muffin tin with paper liners.

Mix the dry ingredient together in a small bowl. Combine the wet ingredients along with the lemon zest in a separate medium sized bowl. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet until combined. Gently fold in the dewberries last, making sure not to break them up too much. If you are worried about getting blue and purple streaks throughout the batter, freeze the berries first. Bake 25-30 minutes until the tops are golden brown and the muffin is baked through. Enjoy!