Blueberry and Ricotta Muffins

Ricotta is an essential ingredient in many Italian dishes, but you often end up with leftover cheese that goes unused when you make small versions of a recipe, just for two. Blueberry ricotta muffins are a delicious way to use that leftover ricotta up.

This recipe makes wonderfully moist muffins that have a good shelf life; they'll last two to three days before they begin to go stale and also freeze well. Blueberries are a summer treat, in season in July and August, depending on where you live. You also can use frozen blueberries—use them straight out of the freezer, unthawed.

Italian ricotta is made from the whey of cow, sheep or goat milk that is a result of the production of cheese. Ricotta is used in cheesecake, cookies, and cannoli. It serves as a basis for a simple dessert when strawberries, chocolate shavings, pistachios, sugar or cinnamon are stirred in. Several of these ingredients can also be combined with the ricotta for a creative dessert. Ricotta is also a basic ingredient in many recipes for lasagna, manicotti, pizza and various pasta dishes.

A cup of ricotta has 428 calories and 32 grams of fat, of which 20 grams are saturated. It adds rich goodness to recipes, but watching portions is a good idea. It's a good source of calcium, is its one saving nutritional grace.

Blueberries are on the superstar nutrition list. They are a good source of vitamin C and also antioxidants, which provide cardiovascular and cognitive benefits. Blueberries also help to maintain normal blood sugar levels, especially useful to those who have type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome or insulin resistance. And all this comes in a delicious package that only has 85 calories per cup and 21 grams of carbohydrate with more than 3 grams of fiber.