Summer is a great time for fresh blueberry muffins. Dried cherries and sliced almonds add to the fun in this healthy recipe. Muffins are easy and quick to throw together and will turn out delicious if you follow these tips:

Baking with whole wheat can be tricky; it is much more difficult to produce a light, fluffy texture than when using bleached, white flour. (Which is why white flour was developed in the first place.) For muffins, use half whole wheat flour and half white flour.

Further improve the texture of the muffins by using pastry or cake flour, which is milled finer than all-purpose flour. Whole wheat pastry flour is also available.

The acidity of buttermilk and the active bacterial cultures of yogurt will give bubbly action to the batter, introducing tiny air pockets to make the muffin light and fluffy. Whipping the eggs has the same effect.

Use fresh leavening agents – baking powder and baking soda.

Move quickly once the wet and dry ingredients are combined to spoon the batter into the pan and slide it into the pre-heated oven.

Red, White, and Blueberry Muffins

2 eggs
¼ cup honey
2 Tablespoons canola oil
½ cup plain, fat free yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup whole wheat flour
½ cup white cake or pastry flour
2 Tablespoons wheat germ
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup fresh blueberries
½ cup dried cherries
½ cup sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with cupcake papers and spray the inside with non-stick cooking spray.

Mix together flours, wheat germ, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. In a large mixing bowl, beat together with electric mixer eggs, honey, oil, yogurt, and vanilla for about one minute.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet, stirring gently with a wooden spoon or spatula until barely moisten. Fold in the the berries, cherries, and almonds. The batter will be thin, like cake batter.

Fill the paper lined muffin cups evenly and bake in the preheated oven for about 15 to 20 minutes. Honey browns quickly, so watch carefully.