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  3. Recipe Makeover: Bran Muffins

Recipe Makeover: Bran Muffins

January 08, 2015
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Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor
Sweeten whole-grain muffins with fruit for better morning fuel.
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Lighter Bran Muffins

Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor

Compared to the buttery, icing-piped white scones and tartlets in the pastry case, the bran muffin always seems like the obvious choice for the hungry healthy-breakfast browser. The bran adds a good bit of fiber and a little protein, too. But most bakery batters are made fluffy with white flour and sweetened with enough sugar to cover four glazed donuts—a 400-plus-calorie breakfast with more than 70g of carbs, most from refined sources like white flour and brown sugar. And the portion size? These muffins are enormous. Our mission: Bring the bran muffin back into balanced territory with 100% whole grains and no refined sugar—but still keep it moist and packed with flavor.

Classic:
440 calories per muffin
13.4 grams total fat per muffin

Makover:
168 calories per muffin
5.4 grams total fat per muffin

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Cut Refined Sugar with Dates and Bananas

Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor

To build a muffin batter without refined sugar, we look to two naturally sweet elements: dates and ripe bananas. Dates become soft and plump when soaked in fresh orange juice; then we puree them until silky smooth with a little butter, oil, and ripe banana.

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Round Out the Batter

Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor

While it's a healthy ingredient, wheat bran is actually just one piece of the wheat grain—not technically a whole grain—so we round out the batter with whole-grain pastry flour. Healthy bran adds 1mg iron and 3.5g fiber to each muffin.

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Keep Muffin Batter Moist

Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor

Whole grains need a bit more liquid than white flour, so we add creamy fat-free buttermilk and fresh OJ to keep our batter moist. 

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Enhance the Flavor

Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor

Finally, toasting the bran enhances the flavor with deep, nutty notes. Packed with 7g of filling fiber and only 168 calories, this mighty muffin offers a brand-new way to jump-start your day.

Freeze extras up to 2 months. Microwave at LOW about 1 minute to thaw.

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    1 of 5 Lighter Bran Muffins
    2 of 5 Cut Refined Sugar with Dates and Bananas
    3 of 5 Round Out the Batter
    4 of 5 Keep Muffin Batter Moist
    5 of 5 Enhance the Flavor

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