Moist Bran Muffins

Note from Cheri: The recipe and text below are reprinted with permission from Whole Grain Baking by the folks at the King Arthur Flour Company (2006 Countryman Press). This book teaches you just enough to get familiar with the different types of whole grains and how to best use them, without bogging you down with a lot of superfluous information that you don't really need. After all, this is primarily a cookbook, not a nutrition lesson. As such, the editors have put most people's biggest whole grain fears to rest -- bland taste and heavy texture. All of the recipes in this book (over 400 of them) have been meticulously tested and tested again to make sure they stood on their own. In other words, tasters couldn't say "the recipe tastes good for a whole grain product." In fact many tasters didn't even know they were tasting whole grain products. Bottom line, the finished recipe has to taste great, period. The scope of the book is astounding, any baked favorite you may have had can now be made with whole grains -- breads, cakes, cookies, pastries and more. Click here for more information on this great baking reference, discount ordering links through Amazon.com and more terrific whole grain baking recipes.

While bran is only part of any whole grain, its health benefits have been well documented. In the case of wheat bran, there are many fans of the flavor it imparts, as well. These muffins are moist and chewy without being heavy, with a hint of caramel sweetness from the brown sugar. They're a great choice for breakfast or a wholesome snack. The batter can be mixed up and held in the refrigerator for up to a week, then scooped and baked as needed, so you can have fresh, warm muffins whenever you like.

3/4 cup ( 6 ounces) boiling water 1 1/4 cups (2 3/8 ounces) bran cereal (not flakes), divided 3/4 cup (4 1/2 ounces) raisins 3/4 cup (5 5/8 ounces)packed light or dark brown sugar 1/4 cup (1 3/4 ounces) vegetable oil 2 1/2 cups (6 ounces) whole wheat flour, traditional or white whole wheat 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 large egg 3/4 cup (6 ounces) buttermilk 1/2 cup (4 ounces) orange juice

Yield: 1 Dozen Baking Temperature: 375°F Baking Time: 23 to 26 Minutes Pour boiling water over 3/4 cup of the bran cereal in a small mixing bowl. Add the raisins, brown sugar and oil. While the bran mixture cools, blend together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Beat the egg with the buttermilk and orange juice in a large measuring cup. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients. Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup bran cereal, then the bran-raisin mixture. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight. The next day, preheat oven to 375° F. Lightly grease a muffin tin or line with papers and coat the papers with nonstick spray. Fill each cup two-thirds full. Bake the muffins until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 23 to 26 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow the muffins to cool in the pan for minutes, then turn them out onto a rack to finish cooling, or serve warm, as desired. Nutritional Information per Serving (1 Muffin, 106G): 25g whole grains; 241 calories; 6g fat; 6g protein; 32g complex carbohydrates; 14g sugar; 6g dietary fiber; 18mg cholesterol; 386mg sodium; 346mg potassium; 43RE vitamin A; 9mg vitamin C; 3mg iron; 82mg calcium; 203mg phosphorus.