Blueberry-Almond Streusel Muffins

Cook's notes: Fresh warm blueberry muffins out of the oven are a great way to start your morning. This recipe was adapted from Midwest Living Taste of Summer 2014 and makes 12 muffins. The addition of whole wheat flour adds fiber and using low fat ingredients makes a healthier muffin without compromising on the taste. 

Blueberry-Almond Streusel Muffins

Streusel Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup chopped almonds
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 TB. brown sugar
• 2 TB. melted butter
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 cup quick cooking oats

Directions:

• Place ingredients in blender or food processor, pulse a few times and set aside.

Muffin Ingredients:

• 1-1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2-1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup lite sour cream
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• 1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• 2 TB. canola or vegetable oil
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract
• 1 TB. lemon zest
• 1-1/2 cups fresh blueberries

Muffin Directions:

• Place cupcake liners in muffin pan. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Rinse blueberries and pat dry on a paper towel.
• In a large bowl combine all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In food processor or blender combine sour cream, skim milk, buttermilk, egg, oil, vanilla and almond extract. Blend until smooth.
• Add to flour mixture and stir just until moistened. Stir in blueberries.
• Spoon batter into muffin cups. Sprinkle 2 tsp. of topping over each muffin. 
• Bake 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. 
• Cool  muffin pan on wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove muffins from pan and serve. 

Blueberry Fun facts

• American poet, Robert Frost, loved blueberries so he wrote a poem about them. You guessed it; the poem was called Blueberries."http://www.daypoems.net/poems/2648.html

• Blueberries are one of the only natural foods that are truly blue in color.
• July is national blueberry month because that is the peak of the harvest season.
• The anthocyanin present in blueberries is good for eyesight.
• Blueberries contain more antioxidants than most other fruits or vegetables and may help prevent damage caused by cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer's.
• A blueberry extract diet improves balance, coordination, and short-term memory in aging rats.
• The blueberry industry of North America ships over 500 metric tons of fresh berries to Japan each year and over 100 metric tons to Iceland.
• Blueberries are naturally low in both fat and sodium.
• Maine is the blueberry production capital of North America and produces almost 100 percent of all berries harvested in the country.
• Blueberries grow best in acidic soil at a pH of four to five and make a good container plant.
• Minnesota claims the blueberry muffin as its official state muffin and New Jersey claims the berry as its official state fruit.