This week, I decided to make a pink and chocolatey treat to represent Valentine’s Day: raspberry chocolate chip muffins. Although these muffins may seem like a sugar-loaded dessert, they have many healthy substitutes and health benefits, like the fresh raspberries, the substitute of brown sugar and honey instead of granulated sugar, and the use of whole wheat flour.

Fresh raspberries – sweet, juicy, and healthy – are one of my favorite foods. If you can’t get fresh raspberries, which do have more nutrients, for this recipe, you can use frozen raspberries. (Make sure they defrost to room temperature before use.) Raspberries have diverse antioxidants, plus a magic chemical called raspberry ketone, which has been found to manage obesity by increasing metabolism in fat cells! The berries also lower blood sugar, and, with their many antioxidants and anti-inflammatory benefits, they can help prevent cancer formation.

Another good point for this recipe is its avoidance of granulated white sugar, which, as you probably know, can turn into something bad for your body if eaten immoderately. Sugar is a favorite food of bacteria, whose growth can weaken your immune system. It also contributes to high blood sugar and can increase the risk for many cancers. Although you may be thinking “I might never be able to eat a dessert again,” there are many healthier alternatives, like the brown sugar and honey used in this recipe. Although brown sugar does not have any special nutritional value, natural brown sugar is less processed than white sugar, benefiting your body in that respect. Honey, however, has many more benefits. Just as strongly as white sugar fuels bacteria, honey kills them, so this substitute strengthens your body. The natural sweetener also helps to prevent heart disease and cancer and reduce blood pressure.

The muffins’ use of whole wheat flour is a final advantage. The recipe calls for both white and whole wheat flour, because the wheat flour alone will make the muffins rough. Unbleached white flour is better for your body than bleached because it contains no chemicals and is all natural, while bleached flour is infused with different chemicals and loses all of its nutritional value.  Whole wheat flour is even healthier. It gives you energy, lowers your risk of type 2 diabetes, and protects against breast cancer. If you use a combination of the two, the recipe will become super healthy!

I liked this recipe because it was really easy to make. There is no chopping ingredients, just measuring, mixing, and baking. Since whole raspberries are put into the muffins instead of chunks, you really taste the raspberry flavor, which I love. Though the recipe says that the muffins take between 17 and 20 minutes to bake, my batch took about 30 minutes. I hope you enjoy this sweet, healthy treat, and happy Valentine’s Day!

Raspberry Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups of white and whole wheat flour (equal amounts- 1 1/4 cups each of whole wheat and white flour)

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

1/4 cup of honey

1/2 cup of brown sugar, loosely packed

1 cup of mashed banana (about 2 large bananas)

1/4 cup of non-fat vanilla yogurt

1 large egg, beaten

3/4 cup of milk (any kind you like)

1/2 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 3/4 cups of fresh raspberries

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325˚ F. Spray the muffin tins with a nonstick spray, such as PAM, and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, gently toss the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
3. In a different bowl, whisk the honey and brown sugar together until all of the lumps disappear. Add the mashed banana, yogurt, and the beaten egg to the bowl and whisk until combined.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently begin to combine them, but do not fully mix them. Then add the milk and continue to blend the ingredients together.
5. Fold the chocolate chips into the batter.
6. Fold the raspberries into the batter. Be careful not to dye the the batter pink by pushing around the raspberries too much.
7. Pour the batter into the muffin cups, all the way to the top of the tin, and sprinkle a few chocolate chips on top. Bake for 17-20 minutes, until the muffins are lightly browned on the edges.
8. Allow the muffins to cool completely.