Anyone can notice that yogurt has become very popular and mainstream. In some ways this is wonderful and it has also sparked the creation of many products that I call pseudo-health foods (think yogurt pops). Somehow a person feels better about eating frozen yogurt rather than ice cream (when in fact frozen yogurt often has many more calories). Yogurt has become a well-marketed “superfood” and takes up a lot of shelf space in the dairy section of the supermarket.

And for good reason. Yogurt is a staple of world cuisines–Greek, Indian, Pakistani, Turkish–and it’s extremely healthy in ways both well-established (as a source of protein and calcium) and still emerging (as a source of healthy bacteria in our microbiomes). It’s also delicious, particularly in summer, when its cool, creamy tang is especially refreshing. I have provided a recipe for yogurt parfaits that uses my favorite granola recipe. Baking with yogurt is another great way to use this healthy ingredient. Think plain, non-fat/ yogurt…..no added sugars, no added flavors, no unhealthy additives.

Now that it is blueberry season and has been for several weeks, here is a blueberry muffin recipe using yogurt. Remember that you can substitute yogurt in almost any recipe that uses sour cream. It will give you the same taste and texture that you need.

Blueberry Yogurt Muffins

Ingredients:
2 cups flour (all purpose or use 1 cup white and 1 cup whole wheat)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup low-fat or non-fat plain yogurt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup applesauce
1 tsp lemon zest
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen

Method:
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease a muffin tin or use paper muffin cups.
Sift together flour, baking powder and salt, and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine yogurt and baking soda. (This mixture will double in size, so make sure to use a large bowl.)
In another large mixing bowl, lightly beat the egg. Mix in sugar, oil, applesauce, lemon zest and vanilla until well incorporated. Alternately add 1/3 of the flour mixture, then 1/2 of the yogurt mixture, and continue adding, finishing with the flour mixture. Fold in berries by hand. Be gentle!
Spoon mixture into the prepared muffin tin and bake until golden brown, about 30-35 minutes.
Yield: 12 muffins

– By Deborah Binder

Deborah Binder lives in Edmonds with her family. She is “dancing with N.E.D.” (no evidence of disease) after being diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer in 2009. She is a foodie who loves to cook from scratch and share here experiments with her family. She attended culinary school on the East Coast and currently chef assists at PCC Cooks and NuCulinary Cooking School. Her current interest in food is learning to eat for health and wellness, while at the same time enjoying the pleasures of the table. As Julia Child once said, “Everything in moderation including butter.” Deborah can be contacted at jaideborah@yahoo.com.