Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Sour Cream Blueberry Muffins

I have been trying to nurse my sore throat - being a teacher, it is really hard to do my job when I have daggers in my throat. Last night I had a cup of bronchial tea that I got from the health food store. It looks like coffee, but it is a really dark purple!



This morning I made a powerful Green Monster (3 cups steamed spinach, 1 T almond butter, 1 scoop chia seeds, 1 T amazing grass, 1 cup almond milk, ice). I could feel my immune system getting stronger!



Lunch was leftover stir-fry:



And an orange for vitamin C:



This afternoon I had a couple bites of this bar, and then stashed the rest for tomorrow:



Dinner tonight was chicken soft tacos (made with ground chicken, salsa, taco seasoning, cheese, and dipped in sour cream):



After dinner I went to the university for a bit to do some stats for my thesis (after this thesis is written - in about a week ... I am officially DONE).

When I came home I decided to make some sour-cream blueberry muffins! I found the recipe in my "Food and Wine" magazine that just came in the mail.

Check out the batter:





I may or may not have dipped my finger in this batter. Twice.



Recipe:

Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
2 T unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp cinnamon

Muffins:
1 1/2 cups (plus 1 T) flour - set the 1 T aside
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg
3/4 cup sugar
1 T unsalted butter, melted
1 rounded cup of sour cream
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1 rounded cup frozen blueberries

1) To make the topping - Preheat the oven to 375. In a bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, butter, and cinnamon. Rub with your fingers to form coarse crumbs. Refrigerate until ready to use.
2) To make the muffins - Spray a 12 cup muffin pan. In a medium bowl, whisk in 1 /12 cups of flour with the baking powder and soda, and salt. In a large bowl, with a hand mixer, beat the egg until frothy. Add the sugar and melted butter and beat 1 min. Beat in the sour cream, zest, and vanilla. In a small bowl, toss the blueberries with the remaining flour, and then fold into the batter.
3) Fill the muffin tins 3/4 full and then top with the topping. Bake for 25 min.

When they are done your house will smell amazing, and they will look like this:





Someone totally dug into one of these before they were even out of the pan. I have no idea who that someone could be.

While I baked I drank a Acai Blueberry Red Tea:



This drink is still from my stash of free samples that I received and reviewed this summer. I drink more water than anything, so these are around for "once in a while." I like how they are natural and refreshing! This flavour is pretty darn good too.

And now for some fun ... a bloggy survey that is making the rounds:

Favorite food to crunch -
Tortilla chips in some yummy guacamole!

Favorite comfort food - 100% no question, Soup!!

Favorite picnic lunch - A big sandwich topped with veggies, and cheese. Cheese and crackers, veggies with hummus, and wine!

Best summer snack - Fresh fruit from the farmer's market, or a homemade pico de gallo with cilantro from my herb pot :-)

Favorite winter snack - Christmas baking and a cup of gingerbread tea, or a latte.

Food that reminds me of the ocean - Seaweed

Most likely to eat for lunch - Leftovers

Least likely to eat for lunch - A sandwich

Food that makes me gag - Blue Cheese. And oysters.

Food tradition I love - Chips and dip on Christmas eve (like my mom used to make us as kids). And Sunday morning breakfasts with my family :-)

Soup or salad - Soup for sure.

Favorite breakfast food - Bacon. Hehe. As a meal - a frittata, bacon and fruit.

Favorite ethnic cuisine - Italian and Korean

Favorite vegan ice cream flavor - None, I don't think I have had vegan ice cream, and I don't eat much ice cream in general.

Favorite type of chocolate - Bernard Callebout. Anything he makes.

Favorite beverage - Water and red wine.

Smooth or crunchy peanut butter - smooth

~~~What is your favourite food tradition?~~~



15 comments:

Amber said...

Hmmmm, those blueberry muffins look AMAZING!!!

I LOVE chips and dip and breakfast food. Waffles with fruit, whipped cream and maple syrup is probably one of my most favourite meals EVER!

Jen (Running With Cake) said...

I love this survey! We really get to know a lot about you - so fun! Are you supposed to wait for someone to send it to you?

Unknown said...

Those muffins look delicious!!!!!!!
Favorite food tradition - with my boyfriend being a Newfie - I love Newfie food. It is 100% comfort food and just the way everyone sits down together for every meal, it's fantastic! I'm going to miss it this Christmas ( we aren't going to visit this year)

Watch my food blog tomorrow for your quiz... or maybe tonight, i'm bored!

Devan said...

gah great recipe :D

I just did the same quiz!!

Anonymous said...

those muffins look great! hope your throat feels better!

Anonymous said...

I want a muffin! Those look sooo good! The topping looks so crumbly sweet!

Quinn said...

Those muffins look AMAZING! Must bake soon!

Anais said...

I think for me it`s having cheese fondue with my family :) We've been doing that for ever but it's even more fun now that they live in Switzerland!!

Chris said...

The muffins are really good honey. They are really light, not dense like most muffins are.

Anonymous said...

Wow look at those muffins!! I hope your throat feels better. My favorite food tradition is christmas dinner at my grandmom's. There's always amazing food floating around!

Anonymous said...

Yay for almost being done w your thesis!

Karine said...

I love to bake with sour cream. Your muffins look gorgeous!

Simple Daisy said...

What an interesting quiz! I don't think I could pin most things down to only one thing!! Owell...what can I say...I LOVE food and lots of it!!!

Jasmine @ Eat Move Write said...

I love those muffins. I bet I'd eat the whole pan though (usually the problem when I make muffins). I'm stealing that foodie quiz! love it.

Unknown said...

Hey! Newfie food is just good stuff... His family makes homemade pea soup, puddings (not chocolate puddings haha) they are hard to explain. Salt meat pretty much goes in everything. Boiled meat and veggies (sounds gross but soo good) Stews, moose... YUM!!!!!!!!