Lunch: Whole-Grain Bran Muffins

Recipe by Sidney Fry, MS, RD This classic recipe is a wholesome base for mix-ins. Try adding sunflower seeds with blueberries, or grated carrot with walnuts.

This recipe includes superfoods such as:

Cinnamon

Health benefits of Whole-Grain Bran Muffins

Cinnamon is one of the best ingredients that someone with insulin sensitivity can eat. Half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day has been shown to be very effective at normalizing blood sugar levels. Cinnamon contains hydroxychalcone, which is thought to enhance the effects of insulin. It has also been suggested that Cinnamon prevents post-meal blood sugar spikes by slowing the gastric emptying rate - meaning that food digests slowly. (Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11506060).

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups wheat bran (about 4 1/4 ounces)
1 cup whole pitted dates (about 6 ounces)
3/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 cup fat-free buttermilk
1/2 cup mashed ripe banana (about 1 medium)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4.5 ounces whole-grain pastry flour (about 1 cup)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Cooking spray

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 °.
Spread bran on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 ° for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring once.
Combine dates and juice in a medium saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes. Remove from heat; uncover and let stand 5 minutes. Place date mixture in a food processor or blender; process until smooth. Add buttermilk and next 4 ingredients (through vanilla); process until smooth.
Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, bran, baking powder, and next 3 ingredients (through salt) in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add date mixture to bran mixture, stirring just until moist. Add eggs, stirring just until combined. Place 12 muffin cup liners in muffin cups; coat liners with cooking spray. Spoon batter into muffin cups. Bake at 350 ° for 28 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center of muffins comes out clean. Remove muffins from pan; cool on a wire rack.

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