Black and Blue Muffins

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the count down is officially on. in nineteen days i will be entering a new decade of my life. 

looking back on the last three decades, i realize i am heading into uncharted territory. when i was young, i always speculated what would happen to me before thirty. i thought i would be married with four kids by thirty. ummmmmmm..... one down, four to go? 

when i discovered cooking i set the lofty goal of a restaurant by thirty. ha. 

but nowhere in my adolescent fantasizing about my future did i ever contemplate what would happen to me after i turned thirty. that was an age beyond what i could comprehend. 

my first thirty years were strongly goal driven and VERY planned. i put a lot of pressure on myself to reach the goals i set out for myself. goals that i had set years prior with out any thought to who i would grow to be or how my interests would change. 

so for the next thirty, i plan to spend my time working at things i love and quickly letting go of those that i don't. 

baking is one of those things that i'm learning to love. when i first started, i found the precision and patience baking requires daunting. however, the hurry up and wait aspect of baking is the perfect method for me as i'm running around the house doing a million different things. all i have to do is set it and forget it until the timer goes off. 

i've been working on a light but moist muffin that i can grab as i'm running out the door and these did not disappoint.

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black and blue muffins
serves: 12 muffins
prep time: 10 min
bake time: 20-25 min
total time: 35 min

1.75 cups whole wheat flour. 1 tsp baking powder. .5 tsp fine salt. .25 tsp baking soda. .5 c packed brown sugar. .5 c butter. 2 eggs. .25 c olive oil. .5 c cottage cheese. 1 tsp orange zest. 1 tsp vanilla extract. .5 c halved blackberries. .5 c blueberries. oats and extra brown sugar optional. 

preheat your oven to 350 f. 

whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder and set aside. 

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in the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment or with a hand blender, cream together the butter and brown sugar. 

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with the mixer on slow, crack in the eggs one at a time. 

in succession, add in the oil, cottage cheese, extract and zest. 

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when the wet ingredients are combined, slowly add in the dry ingredients just until everything is combined.

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turn off the mixer and fold in the berries. 

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pour the batter into a prepared muffin tin. sprinkle the tops with a little brown sugar and some oats. 

bake for 20-24 minutes. until a toothpick comes out clean and the top is a light golden brown. 

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xoxo
a

black and blue muffins
serves: 12 muffins
prep time: 10 min
bake time: 20-25 min
total time: 35 min

1.75 cups whole wheat flour. 1 tsp baking powder. .5 tsp fine salt. .25 tsp baking soda. .5 c packed brown sugar. .5 c butter. .25 c olive oil. .5 c cottage cheese. 1 tsp orange zest. 1 tsp vanilla extract. .5 c halved blackberries. .5 c blueberries. oats and extra brown sugar optional. 

preheat your oven to 350 f. 

whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder and set aside.
in the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment or with a hand blender, cream together the butter and brown sugar.
with the mixer on slow, crack in the eggs one at a time.
in succession, add in the oil, cottage cheese, extract and zest.
when the wet ingredients are combined, slowly add in the dry ingredients just until everything is combined.
turn off the mixer and fold in the berries.
pour the batter into a prepared muffin tin. sprinkle the tops with a little brown sugar and some oats.
bake for 20-24 minutes. until a toothpick comes out clean and the top is a light golden brown.