Bran Muffins

These are one of my favourite muffins, and even though I don't classify them as a healthy delight, they're at least a tad healthy in that they're full of BRAN. :)

This recipe made 24 normal muffins and 12 mini muffins.

Beat together:

• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 1/3 cup oil

 Add rest of ingredients & mix well:

• 2 cups digestive bran
• 2 cups milk
• 1 tsp salt
• 3/4 raisins
• 2 1/2 tsp bi-carb of soda
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp vanilla essence

Pour into greased muffin tins.  And don't forget to stir as you pour the muffin mix because the raisins sink to the bottom.  Bake at 180 degrees C for 18-20 minutes (although with my oven the big ones took 15 minutes and the mini muffins took 12 minutes).

Mmmmmmmm.......!  :)

Banana Oat Carrot Muffins

I've completely adapted some "oat raisin banana bread" recipe that I found online, and came up with this one, which is not only vegan, but also much healthier because I've cut out any dairy, white flour and sugar.  They're quite moist inside, almost as if they're not baked totally through, but they're not raw.  Muffins freeze well and are still soft and moist once defrosted, so I think these muffins are best frozen if you're not going to eat them all the day you make them, because their moistness may cause them to go "off" sooner than drier muffins.

My husband and I think these turned out yummy. :)  I decided to add carrot to this one because I'm trying to find more ways of using the left over carrot "pulp" that I get after juicing carrots - I hate throwing it away...

3 ripe bananas, mashed
1 tbs ground flax seed mixed with 2 tbs water
3/4 cup rice milk
1/2 cup whole wheat flour (you can use buckwheat if you want it gluten-free...I didn't have any on hand)
1 1/2 cups oats
1/2 cup organic agave nectar
1 1/2 cups finely grated carrot (but of course I used left over carrot pulp)
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp powdered himalayan salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla essence
handful raisins
1/3 cup molasses bran (optional)

• Add mashed bananas in a large bowl.  Stir in flax seed mixture, rice milk, agave, vanilla & carrot.
• In another bowl combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, oats, cinnamon & bran.
• Pour banana mixture into flour mixture and stir well until combined.  Stir in raisins.
• Divide mixture among prepared muffin tins.  Bake at 400 degrees F / 200 degrees C for about 18-20 minutes.  Muffins are done when tester stick comes out mostly dry.

The bran is optional, I added it for some extra fibre.

 They're nice for breakfast when you're in a hurry or on the run - well, that's what we usually use them for. :)

Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Banana Choc-Chip Muffins

These muffins are really soft and spongy...and of course yummy. :D  These little delights are necessarily very healthy because of the flour used here, but at least they're basically sugar-free (provided you cut out the chocolate chips and use oil instead of apple sauce).

1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/8 tsp stevia powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 medium very ripe bananas (mashed)
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup + 2 heaped tbs plain greek yoghurt
1 tbs ground flaxseeds mixed with 2 tbs water & left to stand for 5 mins before adding
2 tbs apple sauce (or oil if you wish)
3/4 cup chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla essence

1.   Preheat oven to 350 F / 160 C, & coat a muffin pan with non-stick coating
2.   Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, stevia & salt in a large bowl
3.   In another bowl, whisk together bananas, peanut butter, yoghurt, flaxseed mixture, vanilla & apple sauce
4.   Stir banana mixture into flour mixture until combined
5.   Fold in chocolate chips and divide mixture into muffin pan.
6.   Bake for 20 minutes, or until testing stick comes out mostly clean
7.   Let cool in muffin pan before removing from pan.

Notes:
1.   once the muffins are baked, they'll feel very soft and you may think they're not yet done, but they are done as long as the inserted stick comes out mostly clean - you don't want to bake it until the stick is entirely clean because then you may lose a lot of the softness of the muffin.
2.   if you want to make a bread out of this, pour mixture into a bread tin and bake for about 40-50 minutes or until testing stick comes out mostly clean.
3.   they freeze really well also, and once defrosted, they're just as fluffy and soft as before.

I ran out of whole wheat flour so I used white flour instead, that's why it's so light in colour.

Gluten-Free Banana Honey Oat Muffins

These muffins are so delicious and so sweet - as well as gluten-free & white sugar-free. 

3 very ripe bananas, mushed
3/4 cup honey
2 tbs ground flaxseeds mixed with 4 tbs water & left to stand for +- 5 mins before adding
1/3 cup apple sauce (or oil if you wish)
1/3 cup plain greek yoghurt
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup buckwheat flour
3/4 cup uncooked oats
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup chopped pecans

1.   Preheat oven to 180 C / 375 F and grease muffin tins.
2.   Combine bananas, honey, apple sauce, yoghurt, vanilla & flaxseed mixture
3.   In a large bowl combine flour, oats, baking powder & baking soda.  Pour banana mixture into dry ingredients and stir to just combine.
4.   Stir in pecans and divide among muffin tin.  Bake for about 15-18 minutes or until tester stick comes out nearly clean.

I used mini bread loaf tins because my muffin tins were occupied by cinnamon sweet potato muffins, so I baked it for 18 mins and they came out perfect, so you may have to bake them for a slightly shorter time if using a muffin tin.

These sticky, moist & soft muffins would make for a great dessert served with cream. :)

Linked up at these tasty blogs:

Sweet as Sugar Cookies   It's a Blog Party
Craft-O-Maniac               C.R.A.F.T.
Keeping it Simple             The DIY ShowOff

Gluten-free Cinnamon Sweet Potato Muffins

I think I now love baking with sweet potatoes, because of the 2 different sweet potato muffins that I've tried out, both of them always turned out so soft and moist and spongy and yummy!  :)

1 cup oats, uncooked
1 cup buckwheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
300 ml mashed sweet potato (the original recipe actually called for 450ml, but due to a mistake on my part in converting ounces to cups, I ended up with 300ml....but it seemed to work out perfect!)
1/4 tsp stevia powder
1/2 cup plain greek yoghurt
1/3 cup oil
1/4 cup rice milk
1 tbs ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tbs water, let stand for +- 3 mins before adding to rest of ingredients
1 tsp vanilla

1.   Preheat oven to 200 C / 400 F and grease muffin tin.
2.   In a large bowl, add oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and stevia - mix well.  Then add sweet potatoes, oil, milk, flaxseed mixture, yoghurt and vanilla and mix until just well moistened.
3.   Divide into 12 muffin tins and bake for about 15 mins (or until tester stick comes out mostly clean).

I actually prefer if there is still some doughy-ness on the end of the tester stick, because then I know my muffins aren't too dry - but they're never still uncooked inside.

Also, I froze them for a day or 2 to test 'em out, and they freeze well - they're still soft and moist after defrosting.

Linked to these tasty blogs:

Rook No. 17         Be Different, Act Normal
Sugar Bananas       Muffin Monday
I Heart Naptime     .

Gluten-Free Cinnamon Banana Raisin Muffins

These are nice for breaksfast and for snacking on the run too.  They're sugar free too, and because of the buckwheat flour that I used, they're also gluten-free!

3 very ripe bananas, mushed
1 tbs ground flax seed mixed with 1 tbs water, let stand for 2-3 minutes before adding to rest of ingredients
3/4 cup plain greek yoghurt
1 cup buckwheat flour
1 cup oats, uncooked
1/4 tsp stevia powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp himalayan crystal salt (the fine, not course, one)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (I hardly taste this so next time I'll add at least 1 tsp)
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup almonds, pecans or walnuts, chopped (optional, for crunch)

1.   In a small bowl mix mushed bananas, flax mixed with water and yoghurt.
2.   In a larger bowl combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, oats, stevia and cinnamon.  Pour banana mixture into flour mixture and stir just to combine.  Stir in raisins and nuts.
3.   Divide mixture among prepared muffin tin and bake at 200 C / 400 F for 18 minutes or until test stick comes out mostly clean.

I tried half the muffins with raisins and the other half with chopped dates - I prefer the raisins as it adds more sweetness and besides, you can barely taste the dates.
I also prefer using almonds since they are alkaline forming whereas pecans and walnuts are acid forming.
And even though the cinnamon is hardly noticable, these muffins are still good. :)

I also froze them for a few days to test them out, and they freeze really well, they're still soft and moist after defrosting.

All-in-One Muffins

These muffins are great with breakfast or as a snack, and have a little of everything in them: fruit, veggie, seeds and nuts.  And what's nice about these muffins is that they freeze really well - I place them in individual freezer bags and defrost as needed.

Ingredients:
1 cup white flour + 1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 ripe bananas, mushed
3 tbs blackstrap molasses
1/2 cup apple juice, plus more if needed
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups finely grated carrots
1/3 cup finely chopped pecan/walnuts
1/2 cup raisins
1 tbs ground flax seeds
1 tbs ground sunflower seeds
1 heaped 1/2 tsp ground pumpkin seeds

Method:
1.   Preheat oven to 180 C or 375 F.  Spray muffin tin with nonstick spray or line with paper liners.
2.   Combine flours, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, flax seed, sunflower seed and pumpkin seeds, and mix together.
3.   In another bowl mix together bananas, molasses, apple juice and apple cider vinegar.
4.   Mix together wet and dry ingredients, then fold in carrots, pecan/walnuts and raisins.  Use a bit more apple juice if needed to wet all the flour.
5.   Divide mixture into 12 muffin cups and bake for about 20 minutes or until the top springs back to the touch.  Baking times may vary due to different ovens.  Remove from oven and cool. 
6.   Store in air-tight container or freeze.

(PHOTO COMING SOON)