Muffins a sweet Valentine's treat
| • | Kitchen aid |
By Elaine Magee
Q. I wanted to make strawberry white chocolate muffins for Valentine's Day, but I can't find a recipe anywhere. Can you whip up a light version?
A. I couldn't find an original recipe to lighten either so I did the next best thing. I tweaked a blueberry coffee cake muffin recipe from the Food Network into a light strawberry white chocolate muffin. The original recipe called for 6 tablespoons of butter per 10-muffin batch but I used 3 tablespoons of a less-fat margarine and 3 tablespoons of light cream cheese. I cut the sugar by 33 percent and switched to fat-free sour cream instead of regular. I also increased the fiber and nutrients by using almost two-thirds whole-wheat flour instead of white flour.
To make our Valentine's Day-inspired "strawberry white chocolate muffins," I stirred a scoop of white chocolate chips or chunks into the batter and then added a dollop of no-sugar or low-sugar strawberry preserves in the center of each muffin before baking. If you prefer, you can sink a whole fresh or frozen strawberry into the center instead of using preserves.
Original recipe (with white chocolate chips and preserves added) contains 276 calories, 13 g fat, 8 g saturated fat, and 62 mg cholesterol per muffin.
LIGHT STRAWBERRY WHITE CHOCOLATE MUFFINS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place 10 paper or foil liners in muffin pan or coat 10 muffin cups with canola cooking spray.
In large mixing bowl for electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream margarine, light cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Reduce mixer to low speed and add the egg, egg substitute, vanilla, fat-free sour cream and fat-free half-and-half to the cream cheese mixture; beat until blended, scraping bowl after about 20 seconds.
In separate bowl, combine flours, baking powder, and salt with whisk. With the mixer on low speed, pour the flour mixture into the muffin batter and beat just until blended.
Fold in the white chocolate chips. Scoop 1/4 cup of batter into the prepared muffin pans (filling 10 muffin cups). Place a heaping teaspoon of no-sugar or low-sugar strawberry preserves into the center of each muffin. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until muffins are lightly browned on top and the top springs back nicely when it is gently pressed.
Makes 10 muffins.
Elaine Magee is a registered dietitian and cookbook author. Learn more at www.recipedoctor.com.
