Saskatoon Muffins

This is a sweet and moist Saskatoon muffin. It is easy to make with outstanding results. What I love about home baking is that we can control the quality of the ingredients, using real butter, instead of junk fats often found in manufactured baked goods. The other benefit is the absence of food additives, preservatives, artificial flavours, and other chemicals. Home baking is healthier than manufactured bakery goods. Home baking is usually more cost-effective as well. The investment in time is well worth the results and the quality of the product

The word Saskatoon is derived from the Cree word, mis-sask-qua-too-mina meaning many-branched tree. Saskatoons have been used for hundreds of years by the native people of the prairies for medicine, food, and specifically pemmican. Muffins can be made with both fresh or frozen saskatoons. This year it has been drier, and the saskatoons have not been as plentiful.

Saskatoons are full of beneficial antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. They are a good source of calcium, magnesium, and fiber, but their greatest benefit is in the anthocyanins that make Saskatoons their bluish-purple colour. Anthocyanins are not a vitamin or mineral, but rather a flavanol that is highly protective as an anti-inflammatory antioxidant. Saskatoons have twice as many antioxidants as blueberries and their own unique flavour. They truly are a prairie treasure.

Saskatoon Muffins

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter (room temperature)

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2/3 cup milk

2 1/4 cups saskatoons

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Into a bowl add the flour baking powder and salt, and stir to blend. In a separate bowl beat the sugar into the butter until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla to the butter mixture and beat until well blended. To this bowl add by thirds the flour mixture and milk beating until just blended, and stir in the Saskatoons. Spoon into paper-lined muffin tins. Makes 12 muffins. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.