Extra Healthy Bran Muffins

We were visiting our Vermont greffaces (relatives of unknown or hard-to-explain relation), and I saw a tin full of bran muffins on the counter. I was surprised because my aunt could not eat gluten, but since she was the chef in the household, I assumed she had made them. I asked her if I could try one, but she informed me that my uncle had actually cooked them! This is the only recipe he cooks and he has one for breakfast every morning. I cajoled my uncle out of one of his precious muffins, it was very good albeit a bit too sweet for me. This stems a series of experiments by my mom and I to create the perfect bran muffin (adapted from the Bob’s Red Mill back-of-bran-bag recipe). We somewhat disagree on what the “perfect” bran muffin is (she claimed one of my batches was “dry and inedible”), but I think I’ve finally cracked the code :)

Ingredients:

• 60 g wheat bran

• 6 oz white whole wheat flour (I also added a little buckwheat)

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp baking power

• ¼ cup chopped almonds

• 1/3 cup raisin-cranberry mix

• 180 g applesauce (2 standard “packs”)

• 1 cup milk

• 3 tablespoons molasses

• 2 tablespoons oil

• 2 eggs

• 1 zuchinni or summer squash, grated.

• 1/3 cup grated carrots

Procedure:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees (can also do this after done mixing)

• Mix dry ingredients: bran, flour, baking soda, baking powder, almonds, raisins, and cranberries.

• Mix we ingridients: applesauce, milk molasses, oil, eggs, zuchinni, and carrots.

• Combine right before you put in the oven (can also start heating now, and wait for oven to come up to temperature).

• Bake for 20 minutes