Blueberries are mighty delicious. Enter into evidence photo #1:

If you require more compelling reasons to make these blueberry muffins (which are healthier than normal for reasons to be stated after i get done ranting about blueberries) here are the top 10 health benefits to be reaped by eating blueberries:

1. Blueberries have the highest antioxidant capacity of all fresh fruits.
2. Blueberries neutralize free radicals which can affect disease and aging in the body.
3. Blueberries aid in reducing belly fat!
4. Blueberries help promote urinary tract health.
5. Blueberries have been proven to preserve vision.
6. Blueberries help prevent Alzheimer’s and keep your brain healthy.
7. Blueberries help prevent heart disease.
8. Blueberries aid in digestion and preventing constipation.
9. Blueberries help prevent cancer.
10. Blueberries are proven antidepressants.

(source: http://www.womenfitness.net/blueberries.htm)

The second thing you need to know about these muffins are that they are a wee bit more healthy than they used to be before i came along, and here’s why. In my Joy of Cooking cookbook in the bread section, there is a recipe for “Cornell Triple-Rich Flour Formula”, which they encourage you to incorporate into bread baking to boost the nutritional quality of your loaves.

The work of Dr. Clive McCay at Cornell University in the 1930′s did much to raise the standard of nutrition for large segments of the world’s population. He discovered that the addition of certain ingredients in their natural forms to enriched unbleached flours significantly increases their nutritive value. When you measure, first put in the bottom of each cup of flour called for:

1 tbsp                 soy flour

1 tbsp                 dry milk powder

1 tbsp                 wheat germ

Then fill the cup with flour as called for in the recipe.

Now, i did not have soy flour in the house but i did have spelt flour. Spelt flour is made from “an ancient grain, a cousin of wheat. It is not well tolerated by most individuals with gluten sensitivities because it contains gluten-forming proteins. It can be used interchangeably with wheat flour”. Spelt flour is desirable mixed half and half with wheat flour, in my opinion, because of spelt flour’s deep toasted nut flavor.

Wheat Germ is easily accessable and can be purchased at any well-stocked grocery store. “Wheat Germ adds flavor, texture, and fiber to doughs. It must be refridgerated after opening. You may substitute 1/3 cup of wheat germ and 2/3 cup all-purpose flour for the 1 cup of all-purpose flour in a recipe. For flavor, wheat germ is best very slightly toasted before combining it with the dough. It is now available pre-toasted.”

Now, onto the recipe.

Position a rack in the center of the oven. Grease a standard 12-muffin pan or line with paper liners. Whisk together thoroughly in a large bowl:

2 cups                   all-purpose flour (using the Cornell formula above)

1 tbsp                    baking powder

1/2 tsp                  salt

1 tsp                       pumpkin pie spice (a mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg and other spices)

Whisk together in a medium bowl:

2                              large eggs

1 cup                    heavy cream

2/3 cup              packed brown sugar

1 stick                 butter, melted

1 tbsp                  vanilla paste

1 1/2 cups        fresh blueberries, rinsed and drained

Add to the flour mixture and mix together with a few light strokes or just until the ingredients are moistened. Do not overmix; the batter should not be smooth. The batter should not be mixed to the point of pouring, ribbonlike, from the spoon, but should break in coarse globs. If the batter is beaten too long, the gluten in the flour will develop and toughen it; and the muffins will be course and full of tunnels. Divide the batter among the muffin cups.  I way overfilled my cups to make jumbo muffins and they made 8. If you fill the cups to 3/4 full the recipe will make 12. Sprinkle the muffins with cinnamon and sugar.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in one or two of the muffins comes out clean, about 19 minutes.

Let cool for 2 to 3 minutes before removing from the pan. If not serving hot, let cool on a rack. Serve as soon as possible, preferably within a few hours after baking.

Eat these warm, with butter. They are RIDICULOUSLY good.