Blueberry Muffins with Streusel Topping

I love blueberries and I adore blueberry muffins.  This has been my go to blueberry muffin recipe for awhile because it produces a light delicious blueberry muffin without all the guilt.  It is moist and is very tender.  I have lots of other recipes to try that call for a stick of butter and or lots of oil, but I can't bring myself to make them, because I love these muffins and I love that I can have 2 of these, and not feel guilty about it! I also love the citrus note the lemon zest bring to these muffins.  Blueberries and lemon go fantastic together.  

This is a great muffin, so I hope you try them!


BLUEBERRY MUFFINS WITH STREUSEL TOPPING

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup nonfat greek yogurt
• 1- 4 oz. container of unsweetened applesauce *see directions
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 pinches of salt (about 1/2 tsp)
• 1 1/2-2 cups of blueberries

STREUSEL:

• 3 1/2 TBSP cold butter
• 3 TBSP sugar
• 3 TBSP brown sugar
• 1/3 flour

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350.  *Line a small colander with paper towels or use a mesh one and put applesauce in it.  Let drain for 15 minutes with a bowl under it to get rid of some of the moisture (this will ensure it will bring moisture and not wetness to muffins).  Wash and drain blueberries.  Line muffin tins with paper liners or spray with non-stick cooking spray. 

In a small bowl mix streusel ingredients until the butter bits are about the size of peas.  I use my fingers for this. Set aside.
Whisk together sugar and lemon zest.  Add greek yogurt, vanilla, lemon juice, applesauce and oil.  After it drains, I dump the applesauce in a 1/2 cup measuring cup, and fill it the rest of the way with oil.  Whisk to combine well. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Toss 1 TBSP of this with the blueberries.  Add the dry ingredients to wet and mix 10 times around the bowl.  Add all but 1/2 cup of the blueberries and mix just enough to incorporate the flour and blueberries.  Batter will be lumpy.  Do not overmix!


Fill about 18 muffin cups about 2/3-3/4 full.  Place 3-4 blueberries in the tops of each, pushing down with fingers a bit.  Sprinkle with streusel topping.  Place in oven, turn heat up to 400 and bake 18-22 minutes.  If using silicone, they tend to take a longer than the metal tins.  Serve warm.  Makes about 18, and will keep 2-3 days in an airtight container-- if they last that long.