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Sunday, January 5, 2014

Blueberry Banana Bran Muffins


I'm not sure how people are able to make bran muffins look not so bran muffin-y. 
I mean... they're not the most attractive looking things out there. 
That being said, they are tasty and healthy. Your insides will thank you, if you know what I mean.
I made them even a bit more healthy by cutting out almost all the fat and lowering the calories. I made one batch and cooked it in muffin tins and made another batch and cooked them in a skillet (like pancakes). The muffin tin way is probably a bit lighter but both versions tasted really yummy. 
These freeze really well. All you have to do is microwave one for a few seconds and it is good to go.
According to Myfitnesspal, the nutritional info is: 
106 calories, 1 fat, 21 carbs, and 4 protein.  (That is PER MUFFIN. One recipe makes 12 muffins.)


Blueberry Banana Bran Muffins

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups bran
1 cup 1% milk
1/2 cup mashed banana
1 egg
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup blueberries

Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, stir together the bran and milk and let sit while you prepare the rest of the batter.
In a separate bowl, mix together the mashed banana, egg, brown sugar, and vanilla. Set aside.
In a third bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda and baking powder, and blueberries. 


Stir the bran mixture into the mashed banana mixture until well combined.
Stir in the flour mixture until just combined. Do not over mix. 


Fill the prepared muffin cups with batter. 


Bake at 350 until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 15 - 20 minutes. 


Enjoy for breakfast or for a quick 100 calorie snack anytime.


Or, if you are feeling like trying something a little different, you can cook them in a skillet like a pancake. I made baby sized ones, about 1 generous Tablespoon of batter.


The recipe made 48 baby pancakes, each only 25 calories.


Again, these freeze really well. You can just pop one out of the freezer as you need it and microwave it for a few seconds. 


4 mini pancakes or 1 muffin. 
Both 100 calories (okay, 106 calories technically), both tasty, both fairly healthy. 
I like them because they are quite filling so I feel like I've really indulged in a treat. 

Chef In Training and Table For Seven have tons of fantastic links, be sure to click over and check them out!

16 comments:

  1. Are you using wheat bran or bran flakes cereal? Fresh or frozen blueberries? Thanks!

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  2. I use wheat bran and either type of blueberry will work. I usually use frozen but have used fresh and both are fine :)

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    1. Thank you so much! I always have frozen blueberries in the house and I'll pick up some wheat bran this weekend. ..I hope mine turn out as good as yours look :)

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  3. I made these tonight and they were pretty good. They didnt have that moist, bran flavor and texture i was looking for, but i think toasted and buttered they'd work in a pinch.

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  4. Can you use fiber one cereal if it is broken finely?

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    1. I'm not familiar with fiber one cereal so I'm not sure if it would work. I used wheat bran when I made mine. Sorry I can't be of more help.

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  5. Making these for a second time - thought I would be the only one eating them but -- a hit with hubby and 2 teenagers!! Thx ��

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  6. do you use a cookie cutter when you made the hear shape ones?? or just pour it like that?

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    1. My frying pan actually has the heart shapes built in the pan - but you could just pour it out like that! :)

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  7. I've made these twice, both times they tasted great! However, I'm wondering how do you store them, and for how long do you think they would last? Both times I've made them, I've put them in a big tupperware container, but after only a couple days, the tops of them start to feel look and feel moist, like they're going bad. This time, after about 4 days of them being in a container, I started to notice little spots of mold on a couple of them :( I guess from the excess moisture! Has this happened to anyone?? Do you have any advice on what I can do to keep them lasting longer?

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    1. I usually freeze them and only take out as many as I need for that day. :)

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  8. Excited to try! I used to get Trader Joe's blueberry bran muffins but can't find them anymore. Can you use almond milk for these?

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    1. Yes. You can sub almond milk for the 1%. :)

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    2. Thank you! Made them today and they turned out great!! These will definitely be one of my go tos for make ahead and freeze breakfasts :).

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    3. Yay! So happy to hear that :) Thanks for letting us know.

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  9. Hello! Used Fiber One, ground up finely. Mixed it directly with the milk, bananas, egg, vanilla and bsugar and let that sit while I mixed the rest together (assume blueberries were put together with flour, prior to mixing with wet so they'd have better chance of not sinking. Also only had just about a cup of bran after processed so improvised quantities. They're finishing in the oven and look beaUtiful!

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