Bran Muffins

Alright. So, that's a boring way to start a food blog. Sorry, but that's what I made today. They were actually quite tasty and moist. The great thing about this recipe is that you can change it in a million ways. Add different fruit (other than raisins), or add nuts. I'm going to try some sweetened nectarines next time ('cause they're in season and cheap right now). Also, I've heard that zuchini works great, too - or carrots.

I substituted 1/3 cup applesauce for the oil and it came out fantastic. I don't think you can tell the difference, so why add all that fat? Don't get me wrong. I am NOT a fat-conscious cook AT ALL. I normally don't hesitate to throw a stick or two of butter into a recipe. In fact, my motto is "butter, sugar and salt are what make everything taste good." BUT, why do that if you can have something just as good with less calories and fat? I'm not overweight, but I don't feel the need to eat 3 pieces of cheesecake and a bucket of lard every day. Ya know? In fact, you'll find that I really LOVE vegetables. Not because I'm supposed to, but because they can be so delicious if they're prepared well and it DOES make me feel good to eat food that's full of color and life (alongside my pizza, of course).

Oh, and the best part of this recipe? No mixer involved. Just mix everything with a fork. Super easy and quick, with very little cleanup.

Anyhow, here's the recipe and if you want to read other people's reviews and comments, you can click on this link, which is the original place I found the recipe.

As always, my comments are in BLUE.

BRAN MUFFINS

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups wheat bran (This can be a little hard to find. I recommend a health food store. Whole Foods has it for really cheap in their bulk bins. You can also substitute oat bran, or oat bran cereals for a slightly different flavor and texture. Don't be afraid to experiment...a little)
1 cup buttermilk (don't have buttermilk? Just use 1 cup of milk and 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar. Allow it to sit for a few minutes. The acidity is the most important factor that distinguishes buttermilk from regular milk. Interesting note - you can freeze extra buttermilk in 1 cup containers or plastic bags. You can also buy powdered buttermilk at the grocery store.)
1/3 cup vegetable oil (or substitute the same amount of applesauce)
1 egg
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup raisins (or any fruit,vegetable or nut you like. Just be mindful of the water content. If you add something really liquidy, you may need to add a little extra flour, or just reduce the amount of other liquids in the recipe (like the buttermilk). If you're not comfortable with baking, I recommend you make it with just raisins the first time. That way, you'll know what the consistency is supposed to be like).

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners. (I prefer to grease muffin cups. Because of the lower fat content, these tend to stick to the paper liners).
Mix together wheat bran and buttermilk; let stand for 10 minutes.
Beat together oil, egg, sugar and vanilla and add to buttermilk/bran mixture. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir flour mixture into buttermilk mixture, until just blended. Fold in raisins and spoon batter into prepared muffin tins.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool and enjoy! (Incidentally, the first time I made them, that time worked fine, but the second time, it took 30 minutes, so you'll have to do the old toothpick test. Seriously, it's really handy. You stick a toothpick in the center and if it comes out clean, they're done. If it's got dough on it, then they're not done yet).