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Buttermilk Blueberry Lemon Muffins

Who doesn't love blueberry muffins? And right now the markets are full of inexpensive, fresh blueberries.

Unfortunately, most commercially-made blueberry muffins available at coffee shops, cafes and grocery stores are full of empty calories from sugar, fat and refined flours.

These are deliciously moist, full of flavour and packed with nutrition and fibre.

Using finely grated zucchini, which you won't taste at all, keeps them moist and low in calories. The kamut flour and golden ground flax seeds produces a light-coloured batter that ALMOST looks like you have used white flour. If you are worried that green flecks from the zucchini will turn off picky eaters, try substituting yellow summer squash, also in season now, instead. These muffins are also very low in fat (no oil needed!)and sugar free if you choose to use Splenda or stevia.

4 small zucchini or yellow summer squash, finely grated (or just throw in food procesor until very finely chopped)
2 large eggs or 4 egg whites
1 cup sugar/Splenda/stevia (the kind that measures equally with sugar)
Juice and zest of 2 lemons
2 tsp pure lemon extract (not artificial)
3 cups buttermilk (or 3 cups skim milk - 3 tbls milk + 3 tbls cider vinegar)

4 cups organic kamut flour
2 cups oat flour (just throw oats into food processor to make your own)
1/2 cup golden flax meal (or regular flax meal)
2 tbls chia seeds (optional)
1.5 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

Stir together dry ingredients and set aside. If using buttermilk substitute, make it now and set aside. Whisk together wet ingredients (except buttermilk) in a large bowl. Whisk in buttermilk. Dump dry ingredients and blueberries into bowl with buttermilk mixture and stir, just until combined. Batter will be thick. Spoon into greased muffin tins and bake at 375F for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.* Makes 18-24 muffins.

*Chef Michael Smith tells the story of the chef who trained him who used to say, "The muffins are done when they're done." Baking times are always approximate because it depends on how big you make your muffins, the type of muffin tins you use, and your oven. So use the toothpick test and monitor the muffins throughout the baking process.

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