A few weeks ago, I was pre-measuring ingredients for a brunch we were hosting the next morning, when my daughter, Emily, got the brilliant idea to add raspberries to the blueberry muffins. It was an outstanding suggestion, so she gets all the credit.

I have to say that even when fresh berries are in season, I love to bake with the convenience of frozen fruit. It’s often more affordable, bakes up beautifully, and the nutritional profile is almost identical. Plus, it’s so much easier to find organic versions all year long.

So from the freezer, I grabbed a bag of raspberries and blueberries to thaw overnight. In the morning, after draining and measuring, I folded the berries into the batter, filled parchment cups, and slid the pans in the oven. Twenty-two minutes later, fresh, steamy, stunningly colorful muffins were cooling on the counter.

The tart raspberries turned out to be a lovely complement to the sweeter blueberries. Made with wholesome ingredients, this batter has applesauce, banana, whole grain flour, and no added fat.

Emily insisted on a taste test straight from the oven, even though they were still piping hot. She nodded with approval, and predicted the muffins would be well received by the brunch crowd that day. She was right about that too.