Healthy Bran Muffins

Some muffins, especially commercial muffins are loaded with saturated fat and slim on fibre and vitamins. This recipe is one that I developed over years of trying to make healthy muffins. After all, once you have a dozen muffins in the freezer, what's faster than a muffin, a small yogurt and a fruit for breakfast?

The beauty of this recipe is it's versatility. You could even replace the juice and grated carrot with 1 mashed banana and 1/4 cup of yogurt.

1 1/4 cups flour
1 c. bran
6 T sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg (or not, or any of the sweet spices you have on hand like cinnamon, allspice, cloves, cardamom)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla (or almond flavouring)
2 T oil (vegetable usually, or canola, but really, any oil is good, melted butter will add a hint of creaminess)
3/4 cup orange juice (or any juice you've got in the fridge really, pineapple is my favourite, but not a punch or a cocktail, JUICE)
1/4 cup buttermilk (or plain yogurt, or milk with some vinegar or sour cream)
1/2 cup grated carrot (or grated apple, zuchhini, crushed pineapple or any firm fruit or veg that you think might be nifty)
1/2 cup of yummy bits (blueberries, raisins, almonds, walnuts, chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 375F.
Mix dry ingredients.
Mix wet ingredients.
Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients, then stir in any yummy bits.
Spoon into 12 muffin cups, bake for 25-30 minutes.

More notes;
Tropical muffins; use pina coloda yogurt, crushed pineapple, coconut flavouring and stir in coconut flakes as your yummy bits.
Carrot nut; use cinammon, nutmeg, buttermilk, grated carrot and walnut pieces.

Enjoy!