Banana-Berry Muffins

Makes 12 Muffins

Ingredients

– 1 1/2 cups unprocessed wheat bran or oat bran
– 1 cup white whole wheat flour
– 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed (see note)
– 1 1/4 tablespoons baking soda
– 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
– 1/8 teaspoon salt
– 3/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk or fat-free milk
– 1/4 cup agave nectar or dark honey
– 2 ripe medium bananas, mashed with a fork
– 1 large egg
– 2 tablespoons olive oil
– 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
– 1 cup fresh (or frozen) blueberries
– 1/2 cup pitted chopped prunes (optional)

Directions

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400ºF. Lightly coat a nonstick 12-cup muffin pan with cooking oil spray.

In a medium bowl, combine the bran, flour, flaxseed, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside. In another medium bowl or in a blender, combine the milk, agave nectar or honey, bananas, egg, oil, and vanilla until smooth.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in 1/3 of the liquid mixture. Using a spoon, stir until smooth. Add the remaining liquid mixture and stir just until combined. Add the blueberries and prunes, if desired; stir again, but do not over mix.

Spoon 1/4 cup batter into each prepared muffin cup. Bake for about 14 minutes, or until the tops spring back when pressed gently in the centers. Do not overbake. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing the muffins from the pan. Serve warm, or cool completely on the rack.

Note: If you can’t find ground flaxseed in your local health food store, you can grind whole flaxseeds in a clean spice grinder to the consistency of cornmeal. Makes 12 (1-muffin) servings.

Nutrient Info per serving: 140 Calories, 4g Protein, 25g Carbohydrate (10g sugars), 4g Fat (0g saturated), 20mg Cholesterol, 6g Fiber, 170mg Sodium.