Blueberry Cheesecake Muffins

It's surprising to me that being pregnant I haven't really cooked a whole lot of new dessert recipes. Guess i just turn to the old stand byes- guess that's human nature in us all though.

(PHOTO: 28 weeks and counting)

My sister-in-law Annie gave me a cookbook awhile ago and I was thumbing through it last week (I finished my fifth baby book and was in the reading mood- just completed the book Your Best Birth...I think it's the one book every pregnant woman should read). I came across a recipe for Blueberry Cheesecake Muffins and thought to myself...cream cheese, blueberries and lemon peel- how could you go wrong!

I also liked that the recipe included healthy ingredients like bran flakes! I just took these lovely muffins out of the oven about 30 minutes ago and they smell and taste wonderful!

They will make me and Caston (our little one that's on the way) a great late night snack tonight and a sweet start to breakfast in the morning!

Blueberry Cheesecake Muffins
1 pkg cream cheese, softened
1 cup, plus 1 T sugar or sugar substitute
2 eggs
1 tsp grated lemon peel
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup bran flakes cereal
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup soy flour (or just use another 1/2 cup of ap flour)
2 tsps baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup milk
3 T melted butter
1 jar of no sugar added blueberry fruit spread (you'll find it with the jams and jellies at your local grocery store)
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. spray 12 muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray.

Beat cream cheese in medium bowl until smooth. Add 3/4 cup sugar, 1 egg, lemon peel and vanilla and beat.

Combine cereal, flour(s), 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Whisk milk, butter and 1 egg in small bowl, then add to cereal mixture. Mix gently until blended.

Spoon about 2 T of cereal batter into all muffin cups. Spread a about 1 tsp of fruit spread on top of batter. Then spread cream cheese mixture over fruit spread. Combine remaining 1 T of sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle mixture over cream cheese mixture.

Bake 33 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted. Cool muffins for about 10 minutes. Refrigerate leftover muffins.