Recipes and photos by Constance Smith

Wintertime is often associated with rich flavors of chocolate, caramel and cinnamon, and those are some of my favorite flavors. There’s really nothing like a rich brownie with a cup of coffee or a slice of spice cake with some ice cream.

When spring starts rolling in, however, it all changes. I find myself craving something lighter in flavor. That’s when I start seeking out all things citrus. Lemon, orange and lime all start making frequent appearances in my kitchen, from beverages to breakfast.

As the days get longer and you wait for the crocuses and tulips to start peeking out of the flower beds, you can get a jump on spring with these two recipes. They feature the springtime citrusy flavors of lemon, blueberry, lime and coconut. These are both simple recipes to make. The only hard part is deciding which to make first.

Blueberry Poppyseed Muffins

These delicious muffins are the perfect way to start the day. Fresh, juicy blueberries shine in these moist muffins with flavors of poppyseed and lemon. Not only are these muffins great for pairing with your morning coffee, but they make a great after-school snack as well.

Muffins are one of my favorite things to take to potlucks. They are easy to make and offer a sweet treat that isn’t overwhelmingly sweet. There’s much less guilt associated with eating a muffin than there is having a cupcake covered with frosting. I recently made these for my Bible study group, and they vanished in a hurry!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup flour

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. poppyseeds

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup plain apple sauce

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup milk

Fresh zest of one lemon, about 1 Tb.

1 cup blueberries

Instructions:

1. To begin, preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
2. Line a standard muffin pan with papers or spray the cups with baking spray, whichever you prefer. Set aside for now.
3. In a small bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda and poppyseeds. Set aside.
4. In your mixing bowl, combine the sugar, eggs, oil, applesauce and vanilla. Mix until smooth.
5. Add half of the flour mixture to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined. Add the milk and stir until just combined. Add in the rest of the flour mixture, stirring until just combined.
6. Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula to be sure that everything is combined, then gently fold in blueberries and lemon zest.
7. Scoop batter into your prepared muffin pan, distributing the batter evenly.
8. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the muffins test done with a toothpick. These muffins keep their bright, cheerful color as they bake, so do not wait for the muffins to get golden in color or they will be overbaked.
9. When your muffins are done, remove them to a cooling rack. Serve warm or room temperature.

Coconut Lime Cheesecake

Many people find cheesecake to be a challenging dessert to make. If the moisture in the oven isn’t just right, the cheesecake will crack. Sometimes the texture can be off. Well, with this easy recipe, there’s none of that to worry about. Why? Because this is a “no-bake cheesecake.” The only thing you will need your oven for is to toast the coconut.

This cheesecake is airy and creamy but not overly sweet. You’ll love how quickly this comes together. It is the perfect dessert for any springtime dinner table.

Ingredients:

1 cup unsweetened coconut

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

¼ cup melted butter

8 oz. cream cheese

8 oz. mascarpone cheese (found in the deli section of the grocery store)

2-3 fresh limes (for juice and zest)

14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

½ tsp. vanilla extract

½ tsp. coconut extract/flavoring

¼ tsp. sea salt

Instructions:

1. To begin, preheat your oven to 300 degrees.
2. Spread your shredded coconut on a baking sheet. Bake for five minutes. Pull out of the oven and give it a stir, spreading it back out when you are done.
3. Bake for two more minutes. Again, stir then spread out. Place it back in the oven but watch it carefully. As soon as you see the coconut beginning to get a little golden, pull it out. Coconut can burn very quickly if you leave it in too long. Set this aside for a moment. (Note: You can toast sweetened coconut the same way, but it takes a little longer to toast because it has a higher moisture level than unsweetened coconut.)
4. In a bowl, combine ½ cup of the toasted coconut with the graham crackers and melted butter. Stir those together.
5. Pour the crumb mixture into the bottom of a springform pan that is lined with parchment paper. Press the crumbs down firmly, forming the crust. Place the pan in your freezer while you prepare the filling.
6. In your mixing bowl, beat the cheeses together until they are fluffy.
7. Zest two of the limes, placing the zest in the mixing bowl with the cheeses.
8. Juice the limes to give you ¼ lime juice. You might need two or three depending on the size of your limes.
9. Add the lime juice, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, coconut extract/flavoring and sea salt to the mixing bowl. Blend together with the mixer until everything is combined and smooth.
10. Spread the mixture over the crust, using a spatula to get the top as smooth as possible.
11. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of toasted coconut all over the top, and use your hand to gently press it into the top of the cheesecake.
12. Cover with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate at least four hours or until the cheesecake is set; overnight is better.