Orange Yogurt Muffins

I haven’t posted in a while and I’m sorry about that!  I set a few goals this year:  1) post more to this blog, 2) learn to play the ukulele and 3) learn Italian.  At this point, my resolutions seem more like suggestions, but it’s only June.  

So far, I’m 7% fluent in Italian and I did buy a ukulele beginners lesson book, so I am making progress.  I'd like to point out, however, that learning Italian was also a 2017 resolution. 

I am posting today.  That counts, right?  I'll have to consult the New Year's resolution authorities.

Oh, I forgot, I also pledged to practice yoga several times per week and I have kept that resolution.  Me and my on-line yoga buddy, Adriene, practice together almost every day.  She's very motivational, funny and modifies poses for all practice levels, like a "kickstand" for side plank (which I personally found very helpful, especially after a few seconds in the pose).

If you have (previously) read this blog with any regularity then you are aware I love a good morning muffin with a cup of freshly brewed coffee.  Living in a city rowhouse, sometimes I can smell coffee brewing from a neighboring house and it really does feel like the best part of waking up.  But this post is not about coffee, it’s about muffins, and I found a new recipe that makes the most wonderfully light, citrusy, buttery and flavorful muffin, perfect for summer mornings. 

When my freezer muffin reserves get low (right now, I only have two lemon poppy muffins on hand), I forage the internet for new recipes and I found this one for Orange Sour Cream Muffins with Zesty Orange Glaze.  I rarely follow recipes as written, adding my own twist, and in this recipe, found on damndelicious.com, I substituted yogurt for sour cream.  I also eliminated the orange glaze (thinking that they would be sweet enough with 2/3 cup of sugar!), but I have to say, that orange glaze did sound damn delicious!  

I was thinking of cutting down on the sugar, but I'm glad I didn't, these are not that sweet, in fact, they are just perfect!

Orange Yogurt Muffins

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 cup plain, low-fat Greek yogurt

1 large egg

1/4 cup orange juice

2 Tablespoons of orange zest

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners; set aside.  In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk together butter, sour cream, egg, orange juice and orange zest. Pour mixture over dry ingredients and stir using a rubber spatula just until moist.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tray.  Bake for about 17 minutes, or until a tester (in my case, a piece of spaghetti) inserted in the center comes out clean.