Banana-Bran Muffins
Banana-Bran Muffins
I used to consider myself a punctual person. Not anymore. Dragging the kids out of bed and getting them fed and to school on time just seems impossible most mornings. I’m usually on breakfast duty while dear wife attempts to sort out which girl gets to wear the striped stockings today and who has their hair put in a pony tail first before a sororicide occurs. Then we have a breakfast, one stop on the subway plus a ten minute walk, and a defeated parent pulling the kids late to class. Again.
So, one reason we started making these muffins was to just give us an alternate quick breakfast that didn’t involve cereal. Bonus uses come from additional school snacks to pack in their lunches on those days when we can manage a more substantial hot breakfast; or when made mini-style, school snack for the whole class on those weeks when our number is up.
Baking is admittedly not a creative forte for me, so this recipe is barely modified from one I found on eatingwell.com. I was drawn to the use of wheat bran and the inevitability of overripe bananas always in stock by the end of a week. Pop these in the oven on Sunday evening for an easy breakfast or snack through the next few days—you’ll get wherever you need to be at least five minutes earlier.
- 7 ozs. milk*
- 1 ozs. lemon juice*
- 2 large eggs
- 2/3 c. light brown sugar
- 1 c. mashed, very ripe bananas (2 to 3 medium size)
- 1 c. unprocessed wheat bran
- 1/4 c. canola oil
- 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 c. whole-wheat flour
- 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
- 1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. fine salt
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Prepare a 12-muffin pan with liners.
- Measure the milk in a measuring cup, then stir in the lemon juice to make 1 cup of ersatz buttermilk.
- Whisk the eggs in a large bowl, then beat in the brown sugar until smooth. Fold in the bananas, then add the milk/lemon juice mixture, wheat bran, oil and vanilla extract, ad stir to combine.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together the whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
- Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until just combined. Add the batter into the prepared muffin cups—they should be around 3/4 filled each.
- Bake the muffins until the tops are golden brown and spring back when touched lightly, around 20 minutes—make sure a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack until completely cooled.
- *Or 1 c. of buttermilk in place of the milk and lemon juice, if you are so inclined.
- If making mini-muffins, decrease cook time by around 5 minutes.
Ann
March 18, 2016
What are your views on wheat germ instead of wheat bran? I will definitely try your recipe the next time I make muffins. (Will probably add chocolate chips, though…)
Mike
March 18, 2016
Willa & Phoebe don’t exactly gobble up their veggies, so I was specifically looking for something that would be higher in fiber, and I think the wheat bran fits that bill better more than wheat germ. I’m no expert in baking nutrition though! This seems like a pretty good comparison between the two, and I suppose you could substitute if you wanted.
And the chocolate chips—I think the girls are part of that small percentage of little kids that don’t like chocolate! It’s a combined blessing and curse.
Mom
March 16, 2016
Look yummy!
Shaana
March 16, 2016
I’m definitely going to make the bran muffins. I would swap out the canola oil for olive oil for an extra flavor boost. Of course I’d only use Boccabella Farms olive oil!
Mike
March 16, 2016
But of course, Shaana! ;-) Are you retailing on our coast anywhere yet?