Maple-Pecan Bran Muffins
As a food photographer and recipe developer, and before that, somebody who just REALLY loved food and cooking, I’d be lying if I said it was easy to maintain a healthy diet – like eating bran muffins – while being surrounded by food for much of the day.
While I’ve developed a talent for being able to ignore crave-able food photos (they don’t even make my stomach rumble anymore), it’s much harder to ignore a big real-life plate of brownies you just finished photographing in the middle of the afternoon. You know you just had lunch and that a healthy dinner is on the horizon…but…brownies.
That’s why I’ve found that it’s easiest for me to pack lots of nutrition and heart-healthy ingredients into my first meal of the day. Despite what temptations I might run into, I’ve done a good thing for my body with a healthy breakfast.
Most mornings, I make myself a huge green smoothie with lots of fruits and veggies. But, if I’m in a baking mood over the weekend, I might make a big batch of bran muffins that will last for the week. This recipe is wholesome and filling, with lots of good stuff like bran cereal, almond milk, low-fat yogurt, and pecans.
Maple Pecan Bran Muffins
Ingredients
- 1-1/4 cups bran cereal
- 1-1/2 cups low-fat vanilla or plain yogurt
- 1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup almond milk
- 6 tablespoons maple syrup
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 12 paper muffin-cup liners
- 1/3 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a small bowl, stir together cereal and yogurt; let stand 5 minutes.
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Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate medium bowl, whisk egg lightly; whisk in almond milk, maple syrup and butter. Stir yogurt mixture into egg mixture. Add flour mixture and stir until just combined.
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Line 12 standard muffin cups with liners. Spoon batter into cups and sprinkle with pecans. Bake 16 to 18 minutes or until tops are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in center of muffins comes out clean. Cool muffins in pan 5 minutes; move muffins from pan to wire rack and cool completely.
