Blueberry Kale Muffins

 Mariel here. While my husband and I somehow managed to stave off our son’s first taste of the sweet stuff until well past his first birthday, it seems that the Twos are an entirely different story. The little man has discovered the pure, maniacal joy of refined sugar in all its various forms: cupcakes, ice cream, donuts, cookies, lollipops, you name it. We took him for a flu shot two weekends ago and he actually cried – CRIED – out for another one as we were leaving the doctor’s because his bravery was rewarded with a Lifesaver. “I wannanother foo shot” he wailed as we ushered him out the door, simultaneously embarrassed and proud of his interest in modern medicine.

While I don’t feed him much sugar at home, he gets plenty of it outside the house at birthday parties, dinners with Nana & Bumpa and alas, even trips to the doctor. But like so many other parents struggling to feed their tiny tyrants a balanced meal, I’ve started putting his newfound sweet tooth to use. Since he now recognizes the sugary promise of cupcakes and store-bought muffins, I’ve been making muffins at home, only omitting as much sugar as I can while still making them as tasty and delicious as possible.

Lo and behold the birth of the Blueberry Kale Muffin, which disguises this kid-despised green in a veil of familiar baby blues and that trusty muffin shape. I’ve also been enjoying them myself – this particular muffin is exceptionally light and fluffy and I sweetened the pot with a little maple syrup and a mashed banana. So everybody comes away feeling like a winner.

 Print This Recipe

Blueberry Kale Muffins
Makes 12

Ingredients:
1½ cups whole wheat flour – stock
1 teaspoon baking soda – stock
1 teaspoon baking powder – stock
½ teaspoon salt – stock
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon – stock
1⁄3 cup maple syrup – stock
1 tspn vanilla extract – stock
1 egg, lightly beaten – stock
1⁄3 cup canola oil – stock
1 ripe banana, mashed – $0.33
½ cup vanilla yogurt (preferably Greek) – $0.99
½ cup finely chopped kale – I use a food processor to do this – $2.99
1½ cup frozen blueberries – $2.69
Grand total assuming “well-stocked” kitchen: $7.00
Cost per muffin: $0.58

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a muffin tin with paper muffin/cupcake wrappers.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and powder, salt and cinnamon.

3. In a medium bowl, mix the maple syrup, vanilla, lightly-beaten egg, yogurt, oil, kale and mashed banana.

4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir. Gently fold in the frozen blueberries.

5. Fill the muffin cups about 2/3 full and bake for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean.