I already have some tried and true bran muffin recipes, but I had the itch to try something new and Nathaniel had the itch to grate nutmeg, so we scratched our itches together. While I toasted the walnuts, he got to work.
(This blog doesn’t have the subtitle “in a perpetually messy kitchen” for nothing. These wide shots always shame me just a little.)
Into a large bowl went the cooled walnuts, wheat bran, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, whole wheat white flour, and wheat germ. (The original recipe called for whole wheat flour, no wheat germ, and no spices, but we were improvising.)
I whisked.
I got out another bowl for the liquid ingredients. Nathaniel loves to crack the eggs, so I let him have at it.
To that I added yogurt (instead of applesauce), milk, honey, and vanilla bean paste. With a little whisking, it quickly became one very smooth liquid.
In it went.
It all mixed together very nicely. The batter wasn’t thick as bran muffin batter often it, but it wasn’t runny, so I was able to scoop it into the tins. I filled each one up almost to the top.
I baked them for 15 minutes, and they were done. Plus, they were huge!
And they made for a very good breakfast. These muffins aren’t sweet, so they really are true breakfast muffins. I’ll be honest; I actually like my other recipes better. But these are nice and hearty and I think I can take some of the elements from these and use them in my other recipes. The toasted walnuts were really nice, but I think I like the lightness that buttermilk brings to bran muffins…or the heaviness that comes with adding peanut butter.
But they got eaten! A really nice hearty and satisfying breakfast, add some fruit and you’ve got a complete meal.
HONEY WHOLE WHEAT BRAN MUFFINS RECIPE (original)
My version of Honey Whole Wheat Bran Muffins (adapted from A Hint of Honey)
ingredients:
1 1/2 cups wheat bran
2/3 cup whole wheat white flour
1/3 cup toasted wheat germ
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 heaping teaspoons cinnamon
1/2. teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
3/4 cup low fat vanilla yogurt
1 cup 1% milk
2 eggs
1/3 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (extract would be fine)
directions:
Heat oven to 400 degrees, you will reduce the temperature later. Grease or line a 12-cup muffin tin.
Whisk the wheat bran, flour, wheat germ, walnuts, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together in a large bowl.
Separately, whisk together the yogurt, milk, eggs, honey, and vanilla.
Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry and stir just until properly incorporated. Spoon the batter into muffin cups. Don’t be afraid to fill them right up.
Reduce temperature to 375, then bake for 15-20 minutes. (Mine were done at 15.) Allow to cool in the tin for a few minutes, then remove to a wire rack.
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