Raspberry Cream Cheese Muffins

Muffins you buy at bakeries, Dunkin Donuts, or anywhere similar are huge and laden with calories, fat, and unhealthy ingredients. I wanted to make a healthier option for myself and was excited to find this recipe on Cooking Light. I changed the recipe a lot to make it healthier, less sugar, 1/2 whole wheat flour, etc. Next time I would do all whole wheat flour to make them even better. Even with these changes these things tasted full fat and delicious. I love the cream cheese taste to them and the berries perfectly contrast the sweetness since they are semi-tart. My only complaint is that they are small. They are 3 points and don't yield very much food. However, when you eat them with yogurt and some fruit it's a filling and healthy breakfast. A real must try!

Source: Adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients:
1/3 cup 1/3 less fat cream cheese
2.5 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup light brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg white
1/2 large egg
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
1/8 cup walnuts

Directions:
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine cream cheese and butter in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer at high speed until well blended. Add sugar; beat until fluffy. Add vanilla, egg whites, and egg; beat well.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture and buttermilk to cream cheese mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Gently fold in raspberries and walnuts.

Place 12 foil cup liners in muffin cups. Spoon batter evenly into liners. Bake at 350° 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pans; cool on a wire rack.

** 3 points per muffin
Nutritional Information
Calories:
142 (32% from fat)
Fat:
4.7g (sat 2.4g,mono 1.3g,poly 0.7g)
Protein:
2.7g
Carbohydrate:
22.6g
Fiber:
1.1g
Cholesterol:
19mg
Iron:
0.7mg
Sodium:
138mg
Calcium:
31mg