Sunday, April 10, 2011

Cranberry Bran Muffins

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Many years ago, I sat at a kitchen counter as my friend Autumn effortlessly juggled a visit with me while feeding and caring for her 2 small girls. Autumn never let you go hungry at her house. On this day, she introduced me to something that became a go to recipe of mine. Bran muffins with cheddar cheese sliced on top. So today I thought I would give it a try with B. That kid is going through a picky phase food wise. If its not in noodle form or cheese form she really isn't interested in it. So, here's the recipe. It's basically the Bob's Redmill recipe from the wheat bran bag but tweaked.
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1 cup wheat bran
1/2 cup flax meal
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup cranberries
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup milk
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup honey
2 bananas mashed up
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 tbs oil
2 eggs, beaten

Preheat to 400(unless you have my stupid oven where you put it up as high as it goes for 30 minutes and mayyyybe it will get above 350)
Mix the dry stuff.... mix the wet stuff.... then mix it all together must til its all properly wet and mixed. I put about 1/3 cup of batter in each muffin cup. Bake for 15-20(or if you have my stupid oven.... 25 or 30 *sigh*) As far as the cranberries go, you could do dates, raisins, dried apple chunks. whatever you have hanging around. And the mushed bananas could easily be 3/4 cup of applesauce like the Bob's redmill recipe states. But I had no applesauce. Pretty much any fruit puree will do the trick.
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And there you go... a perfect go to breakfast, snack, lunch, etc. Cut one in half and top with a piece of good cheddar cheese. If I'm not feeling lazy, I pop it under the broiler so its all melty and wonderful. That mixture of lightly sweet muffin and salty cheese is perfect and its filling cuz of the bran. I like to sneak flax meal into anything possible. The added fiber and ultra happy omega 3 make me feel even better about having this for a whole meal. I pop it into my green smoothies when I'm a good girl and making those regularly. If B continues to refuse veggies, I think spinach smoothies will be coming back soon.
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Ignore the look on her face.... she liked em. She is sitting criss cross applesauce in the middle of the floor munching on one and watching Nemo. It is helping that I called them cake and not muffin. Sometimes you gotta lie to yer kids. Don't you judge me!
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