Banana-Bran Muffins
By the end of the week, any bananas left in the fruit bowl are past their prime—just right for these moist bran muffins. Add a handful of dark chocolate chips to entice children to enjoy a fiber-rich treat.
Ingredients:
2 large eggs
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 medium)
1 cup buttermilk (see Tip)
1 cup unprocessed wheat bran (see Ingredient note)
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)
1/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
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Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat 12 muffin cups with cooking spray.
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Whisk eggs and brown sugar in a medium bowl until smooth. Whisk in bananas, buttermilk, bran, oil and vanilla.
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Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl. Add the wet ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in chocolate chips, if using. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups (they’ll be quite full). Sprinkle with walnuts, if using.
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Bake the muffins until the tops are golden brown and spring back when touched lightly, 15 to 25 minutes. Loosen edges and turn muffins out onto a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.
Makes 1 dozen muffins.
196 calories per serving; 6 g total fat (1 g sat, 3 g mono); 36 mg cholesterol; 32 g carbohydrate; 5 g protein; 4 g fiber; 181 mg sodium…sodium level appears high. Try using a salt substitute. Check with your Dr. to determine appropriate sodium levels.
Unprocessed wheat bran is the outer layer of the wheat kernel, removed during milling. Also known as miller’s bran, it can be found in the baking section. Do not substitute bran cereal in this recipe.
Tip: You can use buttermilk powder in place of fresh buttermilk. Or make “sour milkâ€: mix 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup milk.
B-man 