Bumper Crop of Blackberries

I know....I was supposed to post another yummy side dish recipe this time....but the season for fresh-picked blackberries will be coming to an end soon, after an excellent season,  and, this recipe is just too yummy not to share!

I use the term "crop" loosely here, because the blackberries grow wild all around us, in various locations on the farm.  The weather must've been just right for them this year, as we've been picking them every other day for over a week now.  We've already picked double what we got last year, and we're not quite done yet!


We all love to just eat them fresh, in yogurt, on cereal, and on ice cream.

We've also been using them to make fruit smoothies in the blender and juicing them by hand, with a strainer, for blackberry lemonade!







Another favorite use of these juicy, tart, purple berries - MUFFINS!  Using several different muffin recipes that I found on-line, I developed this moist and chewy muffin with pure maple syrup and fresh berries. Plus - No eggs in the house?  No problem! 

(Egg-less) Maple-Blackberry Muffins

3 cups All Purpose Flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup plain yogurt (I used greek yogurt)
2/3 cup buttermilk (or 2 1/2 tbs.  powdered buttermilk blend with 2/3 cup water)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups blackberries

**Pre-heat oven to 350.  Lightly spray muffin trays and set aside.

1.  Mix dry ingredients with fork or whisk in a medium bowl and set aside.
2.  Whisk together maple syrup, oil, yogurt and buttermilk in large bowl.
3.  Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients, until well blended, but do not over-mix.
4.  Gently stir in blackberries.  Batter will be very thick.
5.  Scoop into muffin pans, 3/4 full.

Bake for 20 minutes.  Makes 16-18 muffins.  (If you're anything like me, I tend to over-fill and only get 16 - but then they're bigger!)

These muffins are moist with great flavor - not overly sweet, but rather a great balance of sweet and tart!  

Next time, I will share a tasty green bean dish.  If your garden green beans are producing like ours this year, you are probably ready to try something a bit more creative - this is it!  So visit here in a couple of days, Friends!