Banana Bran Muffins

I love breakfast foods. Give me pancakes, french toast, and egg benedict anytime of day. But these pose two problems – 1. Those aren’t the healthiest breakfast foods, and 2. It’s way too time-consuming to prepare before work in the mornings. I usually try to eat either cereal, yogurt, or the dreaded oatmeal. Or what I do most days is I opt for breakfast bars. Which is why I was excited to try making these banana bran muffins. They’re a healthy breakfast option, and it’s a great grab-and-go food for busy mornings. These muffins taste healthy, moist, and the molasses makes them not too sweet. My roommate Svetlana says these muffins taste even better than the banana bran muffins she’s tried at Whole Foods! This is a super easy recipe that I adopted from Barefoot Contessa.

The buttermilk really makes these muffins moist

Banana Bran Muffins

makes 12 muffins

Ingredients:

1 cup unprocessed wheat bran

1 cup buttermilk (shake the carton before using)

1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature (I microwaved the butter for about 20 seconds)

1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

2 large eggs (preferably natural and organic)

6 tablespoons organic molasses

1 tsp grated orange zest

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1 cup raisins

1 cup diced bananas

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place paper liners into muffin tin.
• Combine the bran and buttermilk and set aside. Cream the butter and brown sugar in a bowl and mix with an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for about 5 minutes, until light and fluffy.
• Add the eggs into the bowl, mixing the batter each egg is placed in the bowl.
• Add the molasses, orange zest, and vanilla extract and mix. Then add the wheat bran/buttermilk mixture and mix on low.
• In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking power, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter until just combined. Do not overmix.
• Fold in the raisins, bananas, and walnuts.
• With a large spoon, fill the muffin cups to the top and bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick stuck in the middle of the muffins comes out clean.

Tags: breakfast, muffins