Scrumptious Bran Muffins

The sun is out, the son is almost better! The sunshine is calling me, I want to be outside!! I think if I bundle him up, fresh air would be a good thing, right?? Bracken agrees. She keeps looking at me, then out the window, so longingly. Poor girl. I tried to work out this morning: not happening. Argh. I am getting to the point where I truly look forward to my work-outs, but this morning my lungs just couldn't handle it! So we did some stretching and measurements. I'm officially shrinking, hooray!! Not quite ready to go swim-suit shopping, but I am much encouraged. I'm listening to the strangest song this morning... it's actually a song from one of my favorite animes, but it is WEIRD. I crank it up really loud on my way to choir nearly every Wednesday. Some songs just need to be played louder... without kids. :)

We're moving next week, did I tell you that? Just to the building next door, we need an extra bedroom ready when this adoption process truly gets underway! For the first time in my married life I am splurging and hiring someone to pack all my things for me. I will supervise, closely, but it feels so good to not stress about that! We don't even need a truck, we'll just invite a few strong friends over to haul everything over. If I promise them treats, they won't mind, right?

Scrumptious Bran Muffins (adapted from The English Kitchen)
Printable Recipe

1 1/2 cups of All Bran cereal
1/2 cup boiling water
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

4 Tb melted butter
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup buttermilk (or milk with a squeeze of lemon, left to stand for about 10 minutes)
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup molasses (or 2 Tb treacle plus 2 Tb golden syrup)

1 cup chopped, toasted nuts (I used pecans, you could do half walnuts, or any other nut you like, really!)
1/2 cup golden raisins

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Butter and/or line a 12-cup muffin tin and set aside. Spread nuts on a baking sheet and place in the oven to toast while the oven preheats.

In a large mixing bowl pour the bowling water over the bran. Stir in the melted butter and then set aside for a few minutes. Whisk together the spices, flour, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl, and set aside. Stir the egg, sugar, vanilla, molasses and buttermilk into the bran mixture until smooth. 

Add dry ingredients and fold into the batter along with the nuts and raisins until just combined. (the batter will seem a little thin, that's all right!) Fill the muffin tins/liners almost full and bake for 5 minutes at 450 degrees, then lower to 400 degrees and bake for 12-15 minutes. Remove from the oven. Let stand in the tins for about 5 minutes before tipping out. Serve warm with or without butter.

Bran muffins, such brown, unassuming little things. And most people avoid them! I don't blame them, I've never had a yummy one, until today! I'm sure you've all had the kind I've tried before, dense, dry, awful cardboard things!

These are full of yummy, healthy things like applesauce, bran, raisins, and nuts (I'm LOVING toasted nuts in everything lately!) and even though they've got some sugar in them, I think they could still count as being healthy, don't you? 

Maybe less healthy if you smear them with warm, melty butter... Oh well! These muffins are soft, fluffy, and delicious. Yummy nutty flavors and scrumptious spices along with the sweet, fruity raisins make a toothsome mix that you can be proud to feed your family! Not sure about mine, they aren't crazy about nuts... we'll see :)

Shared at Totally Tasty Tuesdays