Fiberlicious Pumpkin Bran Muffins

Toasted wheat bran.

Plump raisins.

Pureed pumpkin.

Whole wheat flour.

With ingredients like these, you know you're gonna have some delicious and healthy muffins. 

I've always loved "bran" flavored foods and I'm one of those weird people that prefers plain cereal like All-bran and cheerios over lucky charms and captain crunch. A few weeks ago when Brett and I were in Arkansas for work we went to Cracker Barrel (Oh Cracker Barrel. So many childhood memories!) with my cousin and her boyfriend. Brett got a bran muffin to take with him as a snack for later and ever since then bran muffins have been on my mind. I just haven't been home long enough to make a batch.

Thankfully, Brett and I are home for a whole month so I've been able to cook and bake my heart out! Obviously one of the first things I made were these muffins. I had no idea wheat bran was so dang cheap! Bonus. The rest of the ingredients I already had on hand which made these really easy to whip up.

They're sweetened with pureed raisins, molasses and brown sugar and I used applesauce instead of oil which made them really moist. The pumpkin flavor is subtle, but delicious. 

If you're a fan of nuts, walnuts would be great in these.

I stored them in a zip-lock bag in the fridge and we've been enjoying them for breakfast and as a quick snack all week! If you're a meal planner, you should definitely add these muffins to your weekly menu.

Pumpkin Bran Muffins

(Makes 16 muffins)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups wheat bran, toasted
• 1 1/4 cups raisins, divided
• 3/4 cup water, divided
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/3 cup molasses
• 1/2 cup dairy-free, plain yogurt
• Zest of one orange
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons water
• 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and grease 2 muffin tins and set them aside.
2. Spread the wheat bran on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 5 minutes. Stir once to help it toast evenly.
3. While the bran is cooking make your flax egg by whisking the flaxseed and water together in a small bowl. Set aside.
4. In a small sauce pan, heat 1/2 cup of raisins with 1/4 cup of water. Let the raisins simmer until all of the water is absorbed. 
5. Puree the raisins in a food processor with the molasses and pumpkin puree until smooth.
6. In a large bowl mix together the toasted wheat bran, plain yogurt and 1/2 cup water. 
7. Add in the raisin/pumpkin puree, orange zest and brown sugar and mix. 
8. Stir in the applesauce and flax egg.
9. In a separate bowl whisk the flours, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Then pour these dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
10. Fold in the remaining 3/4 cup raisins.
11. Spoon the batter into the greased muffin tins and bake for 22-25 minutes or until the centers have set. 
12. Let cool in the pans for a few minutes before removing to a plate or wired rack to cool. 
13. Store in a zip-lock bag in the fridge or freeze.

Notes: "Veganized" from According to Elle.

1/16th of this recipe gives you almost 6 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein. Not bad for 130 calories of goodness!

Eat Consciously,

Faith

Chocolate Mug Cake + A Small Dose of Iron

Changing your diet drastically is a big deal. Your body can be affected in many different ways: mentally and physically. I knew that going vegan was not something I could take lightly, but would need to do a good amount of nutritional research so I could insure I was getting enough protein and nutrients without eating meat or dairy. What are the best ways to get protein with a vegan diet? What nutrients are vegans most likely to be deficient in? Answers to these questions and more are what I researched early on in my new diet. 

Over all the switch to eating a vegan diet has been great. I haven't had stomach problems and I eat a wider variety of foods. I've even noticed that I recover more quickly from long runs than I used to before I went vegan. Just this past Friday I went on a nine mile run and I was barely sore the next day. Bonus.

One thing I do need to keep an eye on is my iron intake. As a girl in her mid-twenties I need 18 mg/day of iron. Some of the best sources of iron are soybeans, blackstrap molasses, cooked lentils, spinach and chickpeas. I did a little research on molasses and while blackstrap molasses is rich in iron and is formed when molasses goes through a third boiling which crystallizes the sucrose in the molasses making it less sweet. It would ruin baked goods if you tried to use it as a sweetener. 

I looked up some recipes that were high in iron and I came across this mug cake recipe.  While it doesn't use blackstrap molasses, and therefore isn't as rich in iron as I though, it does call for regular molasses and two tablespoons of ground flaxseed so it's fiber-licious. It's so easy to make and tastes amazing. If I left off the chocolate chips and added some berries on top, I would even consider it healthy enough to have for breakfast. Seriously. Try this out!

Chocolate Mug Cake

(Makes 1 serving)

 Ingredients:

· 3 tablespoons oat flour

· 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed

· 2 tablespoons cocoa powder

· 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

· 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

· Pinch of salt

· 1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce

· 2 tablespoons non-dairy milk

· 2 teaspoons molasses

· Splash of vanilla

· Optional: Coconut oil or baking spray

· Optional: Chopped fruit, berries, chocolate chips, agave nectar or maple syrup

Directions:

1. Mix all of the dry ingredients (from the oat flour to salt) together in a bowl with a fork so that there are no clumps.

2. In a separate bowl, mix together the wet ingredients until combined, from applesauce to vanilla.

3. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and mix until incorporated.

4. Use oil or spray to grease the inside of a mug if you want to transfer the cake to a different dish after cooking. If you are going to eat it straight from the mug no oil or spray is needed.

5. Pour the batter into the mug and microwave on high for 2-3 minutes.

6. Transfer to a plate a top with desired toppings.

7. Dig in and enjoy your dose of iron!

 Notes: Adapted from With An Open Mind.

  

Eat Consciously,

     Faith