Blueberry Streusel Muffins / July 12, 2016 by Amy Cantu

Blueberry Streusel Muffins are the kind of breakfast I have when I've been eating spinach and egg white scrambles one too many days in a row. (I know some of you are super healthy and don't see a problem with that, and all I can say is that I deeply envy you, and please don't judge me!) The texture of these blueberry muffins is endlessly moist (thank you yogurt), bursting with juicy fruit, and reminds me of cake, thanks to it's delicate, airy crumb. Really, anything cake-like that I can eat for breakfast is instantly my most favorite thing in the whole entire world. (Never mind that I have a long list of "my most favorite" foods.) The streusel is the sweet, crunchy crowning glory of these blueberry muffins, and while you could certainly skip it in the name of health, I would argue that these are not the muffins one chooses for cutting calories. Indulge! Enjoy! Go back to spinach and egg white scrambles tomorrow!

Notes: For once, I don't have a ton of notes. These Blueberry Streusel Muffins are moist and delicious, and sure, you could sub whole wheat flour for half of the all-purpose flour, or grapeseed oil and/or apple sauce for some or all of the butter, but that would be a totally different kind of blueberry muffin. The only optional ingredient that I list is the walnuts - the muffins are lovely if you include them in the streusel, but equally delicious without. So go nuts (or not), but these Blueberry Streusel Muffins (with a glass of Cold Brew Coffee with Mint Syrup,) will definitely perk up any morning!

Read More: The Shared Morning Pick-me-up

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen.

Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 9 or 10 muffins

For the streusel:
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts (optional)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of salt
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

For the muffins:
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
3/4 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt (1/2 teaspoon table salt)
1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen (do not defrost)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners or grease with butter or cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, smash together all streusel ingredients with your fingers, rubbing the butter into the flour and sugar, until well-combined and crumbly. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter and sugar. Beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in egg until well-incorporated. Add yogurt and vanilla, beating well. Pour in the flour mixture and beat until the batter is just mixed. With a rubber spatula, fold in the blueberries. Batter will be very thick and not pourable.

Using an ice cream scoop or a large spoon, fill the muffin cups 3/4 full. Top generously with streusel. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until tops are golden and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle of a muffin. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan. Delicious warm (with a pat of butter???) or cooled to room temperature.

Purple Rain Smoothie / April 26, 2016 by Christine Pedlar

Purple Rain Smoothie - blueberry, banana, and cacao

Smoothies are a quick easy way to make sure you get your fruits and veggies in and can be as varied as your imagination, tastes, and nutritional aspirations. Need some extra protein or Omega-3's? Smoothies can do the trick. I like them any time I'm feeling too lazy to make a salad, 'cause let's face it, dealing with a bunch of veggies can sometimes feel like a chore. They're also great pre or post workout, when you want something to go, or crave something simple, satisfying but not heavy.

You've probably heard, Prince went to the Afterworld this week. This makes me sad. But maybe you didn't know, Prince dug smoothies. So it's only fitting I have something in my repertoire honoring him. When I'm craving something sweet and decadent, this is it. Chocolate covered berries in a glass that will have you partying like it's 1999, or at the very least, Paisley Park in 2010. And the Greek yogurt packs a lot of protein, you know, in case you have to go do the splits on top of a Grand Piano or something. Or maybe just recover from a run or spin class like the rest of us mortals.

Notes: I find some Greek yogurts to be a bit chalky for my taste (ahem, Fage), so you might want to experiment with what you like and is available in your area. If I'm feeling flush, Strauss' Organic Nonfat Plain Yogurt is my favorite, but Trader Joe's Greek Style Nonfat Plain Yogurt is the best choice I've found for a decent price.

If you want to make this recipe vegan like Prince, simply swap out the Greek yogurt for cultured coconut milk or soy yogurt.

Raw cacao powder can be found at natural food stores or online. My 88 year-old grandfather turned me on to putting it in smoothies. He buys it on Amazon 'cause he's fly like that, but I get it might be hard to find or on the spendy side. So it's totally cool with me if you want to use good old fashioned cocoa powder instead. You can also substitute the almond milk with any other kind of milk you enjoy.