I think a label like 'healthy' can automatically attract somebody to a kind of food or recipe, or alternatively, make them want to run away from it as quickly as possible. I don't think anyone is adverse to food that's a little better for us, but it's a shame that healthy can sometimes evoke connotations of 'expensive, obscure ingredients that I won't use more than once' and 'tedious processes that yield a tasteless product'.
As of yet, I haven't set out to make anything just because it's intrinsically 'good' for me, but it's always pleasant to know that sweet foods don't have to be laden with butter, sugar and chocolate to taste delicious - though you won't see me objecting to those anytime soon.
I'm always a bit hesitant to incorporate strawberries into baking because of their high moisture content (92%, same as watermelons), that substituting them in place of other fruits like blueberries and raspberries either doesn't work or requires a lot of tweaking of the other ingredients to compensate for all the extra water. Also, baked strawberries sometimes take on a gummy quality; they turn light pink and almost grey. I'm sure that description really inspired you all to rush into your kitchens and prepare your ingredients (!)
However, the added fruit here was just delightful, as was the simplicity of the process. All the ingredients are combined in one bowl, with the dry ingredients going in first followed by the wet. The strawberries are folded in carefully, and the mixture is complete. After you've divided the mixture into the muffin tin, place some additional chopped strawberries on the very top so they are visible after baking. Vegetable oil gives a lighter muffin compared to butter, and yogurt helps to keep it moist. I used natural Greek yogurt (0% fat), but other varieties such as vanilla, low, full-fat would work wonderfully.
Post-baking, the strawberries taste much more complex than they do fresh, almost as if they've been roasted.
This recipe makes six muffins. A smaller batch helps to control your portions if that is a concern, although everything in moderation is the key.
Note: I used a friand tin for these, hence the oval shaped muffins. That would've been fine if I realised that the muffins stick to paper cases a little bit and just buttered and floured the holes, but I didn't. Would recommend using a tin of your choice, well greased and without paper cases. Also saves you from trying to force a round case into an oval hole- kind of works, but not really. Kind of describes most things that I attempt \_(ツ)_/¯
Quick One-Bowl 'Healthy' Strawberry Yogurt Muffins
Prep: 15 min Cooking: 20 min Serves: 6
Ingredients
88g Self-raising flour
30g white sugar
1 large egg at room temperature
75mL of Greek yogurt (or any plain/vanilla low/full/no fat variety)
1 tsp vanilla extract
70g of fresh strawberries, hulled, and chopped into small pieces
Preheat your oven to 175°C. Grease and flour six holes of a standard 12-cup muffin tin (or a tray with 6 cups like mine).Whisk flour and sugar together in a large bowl. Create a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, before adding the egg, yogurt and vanilla into the well. Mix until the ingredients are just combined (do not overmix). Fold the strawberries into the mixture, reserving a few for the top. Divide the mixture into the muffin tin, about 1 heaped tablespoon per muffin. Press a few strawberry bits on top of the mixture. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the muffins are golden. Allow to cool, and as an optional extra step, dust them with icing sugar to serve.
