A healthier muffin that uses a heirloom fruit in a traditional recipe. The Aronia berry with a provenance that extends back to the early Native American Indians. Who knew?

Aronia berry Muffins

Ingredients:

- 1 cup of regular sugar

- 1/2 cup of shortening

- 3 eggs yokes

- 2 cups of flour

- 1/2 cup of milk

- 2 (tsp) of baking powder

- 1 teaspoon of vanilla

- 1 cup of aronia berries

- 3 stiffly beaten eggs whites

- 1 cup of melted butter

- 1 cup of brown sugar

- 1 cups of flour (or a little more if needed)

Directions: Cream together 1 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup of shortening and then add in egg yokes, 2 cups of flour, milk, baking powder and vanilla to the batter. Gently add 1 cup of aronia berries and then fold in 3 stiffly beaten egg whites.   Next place the batter in a greased muffin pan.   Make the topping by separately mixing in a bowl with 1 cup of melted butter, 1 cup of brown sugar and 1 cup of flour. Mix the topping together until its crumbly then add on top of batter before baking. Bake the muffins at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.