Hey, look! A recipe! This food blog has been sorely lacking in recipes.
I love when you can get a variety of results out of one recipe. Cookies and muffins are good for that because you can divide the batter/dough in half and add different mix-ins to each half. And that’s exactly what I did for these Berry Oat Bran Muffins. The batter has orange peel and a small amount of cinnamon in it, then to one half I added blueberries and walnuts, and to the other half I added raspberries, coconut, and sliced almonds.
The muffins have an orangey tartness from all the zest, which is almost overwhelming because they are only very mildly sweet. For this reason, I think the blueberry version works better because the blueberries add little bursts of sweet. Raspberries are a pretty tart fruit themselves, which makes the raspberry version perfect for some jam or honey.
I love the texture and mild sweetness of these; if I made them again I would reduce the amount of orange zest so that the other flavors would have more room to express themselves. Equal opportunities for all over here.
And now, without further ado, the recipe!
Berry Oat Bran Muffins
Modified from http://www.livestrong.com/article/477192-honey-oat-bran-muffins/
1 cup oat bran
1 cup white whole wheat flour (made from a variety of wheat that has a milder flavor than whole wheat. You could definitely use whole wheat or all purpose)
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
1/4 cup honey
2 tbsp butter, melted and then cooled slightly
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp orange zest (but I would recommend less, maybe 1/2 a tbsp)
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Combine the wet ingredients in a small bowl. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into it, then stir until just combined. Add whatever fruit/nuts/chocolate you please (about a cup to a cup and a half total, if using).
Divide the batter amongst 12 muffin cups, either greased or lined with muffin papers. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, until a toothpick tester comes out clean.
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