Serves: 12

Wake up with a muffin that's delicious, loaded with fiber and heart-healthy oat bran, and isn't made with fat.

• Ingredients

Canola oil for oiling the muffin pan
2 large green cooking apples
2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
1 cup unbleached white flour
1 1/4 cups oat bran
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 12-ounce can apple-juice concentrate, thawed
1 cup water

• preparation

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees F.
Lightly oil a muffin pan for 12 muffins. Peel and core apples; chop them coarsely. Set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, stir together pastry flour, white flour, oat bran, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
3. Add thawed apple-juice concentrate, chopped apples, and enough water to make a light batter.
4. Mix just enough to moisten all ingredients. Divide batter among the muffin cups and bake till lightly browned, 25-30 minutes.
5. Remove muffins from cups while hot.

Serves: 12

• Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup mashed bananas
1 tablespoon molasses
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup natural bran
1/4 cup wheat germ
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 pinch salt
1 egg
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup raisins

• preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cream butter, sugar, molasses then add bananas.
Add all dry ingredients with egg and buttermilk. Whisk until batter is smooth. Pour batter in greased muffin tins.
Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Serves: 12

• Ingredients

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 medium mashed bananas
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg

• preparation

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Grease the muffin pans, or line with paper baking cups. Combine flour, wheat germ, sugar, and baking powder. Add combined remaining ingredients, mixing until dry ingredients are moistened.
Fill prepared muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until light golden brown.

Serves: 12

• Ingredients

3 cups all bran cereal
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup raisins
1 cup boiling water
2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk *

• preparation

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Mix together the bran cereal, oil and raisins. Pour on the boiling water and let stand while preparing remaining ingredients.
Combine the flour, sugar, soda and salt. Lightly beat the eggs and mix with the buttermilk.
Add to cereal mixture and mix well. Add flour mixture and mix only until combined.
Pour batter in greased muffin tins.
Let stand at least 15 minutes before baking. Do not stir. Bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove muffins from cups while hot.
* You can replace the 2 cups buttermilk with 2 teaspoons vinegar or lemon juice and milk.

Serves: 12

• Ingredients

1 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal
1 tablespoon double-acting baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
4 ounces unsalted butter
1 egg
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup milk
2 cups blueberries

• preparation

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a mixing bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In an electric mixer, whisk together the butter, egg, sugar, honey and milk.
Stir together these two mixtures and carefully fold in the blueberries. Spoon the batter in a greased 12-muffin tins.
Bake the muffins for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden. Remove muffins from cups while hot.

Serves: 12

• Ingredients

1 3/4 cups flour
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 cup milk
2 eggs
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup blueberries

• preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, and orange rind.
Whisk together eggs, milk, butter and vanilla.
Stir into flour mixture just until blended.
Fold in blueberries. Spoon into a greased 12-muffin tins 3/4 full.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer muffins on a rack to cool.

Serves: 6

• Ingredients

1 cup flour
1 cup instant oatmeal
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 beaten egg
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup blueberries

• preparation

Preheat oven to at 425 degrees.
Mix together all dry ingredients. Add buttermilk, egg and oil. Mix thoroughly. Fold in blueberries.
Fill greased muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake 20 minutes.

Serves: 12

• Ingredients

1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cups high fiber bran cereal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 eggs
1 cup grated carrots
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup raisins

• preparation

In a large bowl, stir flour, cereal, baking powder, baking soda and seasonings.
In a separate bowl, beat eggs thoroughly. Stir in carrots, buttermilk, brown sugar and oil.
Add to dry ingredients just until moistened. Stir in raisins. Spoon into greased muffin cups 3/4 full and bake at 400 degrees F. for 15 to 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer muffins on a rack to cool.

Serves: 12

• Ingredients

1/2 cup oil
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 beaten eggs
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup honey

• preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Beat eggs, add sugar, honey, oil and carrots. Mix well. Add dry ingredients along with buttermilk.
Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Transfer muffins on a rack to cool.

Serves: 12

• Ingredients

2 cups flour
2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup shredded zucchini
1 golden delicious apple cored and finely chopped
3/4 cup golden raisins
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil

• preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees .
Mix all ingredients except eggs and oil in a large bowl. Beat eggs and oil in a separate bowl.
Stir flour mix into eggs. Spoon 1/4 cup batter into each cup. Bake for about 25 minutes.
Transfer muffins on a rack to cool. Serve warm.

Serves: 12

• Ingredients

1 1/4 cups 100% bran cereal
1 can crushed pineapple (14 oz) in juice
1/4 cup milk
1 egg
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup vegetablesetable oil
1 cup shredded carrots
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup raisins

• preparation

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Combine cereal, undrained pineapple, and milk. Let stand 5 minutes. Stir in egg, brown sugar, oil and carrots.
In large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger and salt.
Add cereal mix and raisins to dry ingredients stirring just until moist. Fill each muffin cup generously to the top.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Transfer muffins on a rack to cool.

Serves: 6

• Ingredients

Batter
2 cups (8 7/8 ounces) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (2 3/8 ounces) sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/4 cup (1 3/4 ounces) vegetable oil
3/4 cup (6 ounces) milk
1/4 cup (2 ounces) orange juice
1/8 teaspoon orange oil OR 1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel
1 cup (4 1/4 ounces) dried sweetened cranberries, or coarsely chopped fresh or frozen cranberries (for a slightly "tarter" muffin)
Topping
1/4 cup (7/8 ounce) finely chopped walnuts or pecans
1/4 cup (1 3/4 ounces) brown sugar, dark or light, firmly packed
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

• preparation

Batter:
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
In a separate bowl, or in a large measuring cup, whisk together the egg, oil, milk, orange juice, and orange oil or peel. Gently and thoroughly mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
Using a muffin or cookie scoop, or a 1/4-cup measure, pour the batter into 12 lightly greased muffin cups, filling them about 3/4 full. Topping:
Combine all of the topping ingredients. Sprinkle a scant 1 tablespoon of topping over the batter in each muffin cup.
Baking:
Bake the muffins in a preheated 400¡F oven for 20 minutes, or until they're nicely domed and a cake tester inserted into the center of one comes out clean.
Remove the muffins from the oven, and run a knife around the edge of each one to separate it from the pan.
Carefully tilt each muffin in its cup so steam doesn't collect underneath as they cool.
After about 5 minutes, transfer them to a rack to cool completely

Serves: 12

• Ingredients

For Muffin Batter
1 cup milk (low-fat is fine)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
12 tablespoons (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened but still cool
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons grated nutmeg
For Muffin Topping
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2-1/4 teaspoons cinnamon

• preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a standard-size muffin pan generously with nonstick cooking spray.
Combine milk and lemon juice in a measuring cup and set aside.
In a stand mixer or large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until just mixed in. Stir in the vanilla.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg. Stir with a whisk until well combined.
Using a rubber spatula, mix a quarter of the dry ingredients into the butter mixture. Then mix in a third of the milk mixture. Continue mixing in the remaining dry and wet ingredients alternately, ending with the dry. Mix until well combined and smooth, but don't over-mix. The batter will be very thick.
Scoop enough batter into each tin so that the top of the batter is even with the rim of the cup. (I like to use an ice cream scoop with a wire scraper for this.) Bake the muffins until firm to the touch, 25-30 minutes. Set pan on rack to cool for a few minutes.
In the meantime, prepare the topping: melt the butter in a small dish and combine the cinnamon and sugar in another small dish.
When the muffins are cool enough to handle, use a pastry brush to paint the top of each muffin with butter, then sprinkle generously with cinnamon-sugar. If you have cinnamon-sugar left over, sprinkle muffins again. Serve warm, or cool on a rack and wrap airtight. Store at room temperature. Reheat muffins briefly in microwave for that fresh out of the oven taste.

Serves: 12

• Ingredients

2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup fresh blueberries

Streusel topping:
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons slivered almonds
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 teaspoon cinnamon

• preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Grease a 12 cup muffin pan.
Streusel topping:
Stir together brown sugar, almonds, butter and cinnamon. Set aside. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In separate bowl, whisk together egg, maple syrup, milk and butter; pour over dry ingredients. Evenly sprinkle with blueberries; stir just enough to moisten dry ingredients and distribute blueberries. Spoon into muffin cups, filling two-thirds full.
Sprinkle with streusel topping .
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until tops are firm to the touch. Let cool in pan on rack for 3 minutes.
Transfer to rack and let cool completely.
Adapted from Canadian Living Magazine.

Serves: 8

• Ingredients

1-1/2 cups fresh blueberries
2 cups sifted flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup milk

• preparation

Night before:
Sift flour, baking powder and salt. Beat butter, sugar and vanilla at high speed until light and fluffy, scraping the sides occasionally. Beat for 4 minutes. On low speed beat in flour mixture in fourths, alternating with milk in thirds (begin and end with flour). Beat until smooth. Gently fold in blueberries just to combine. Fill each muffin cup 2/3 full.
Refrigerate overnight.
Next day:
Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove to wire rack. Let cool or serve warm.

Serves: 12

• Ingredients

1 1/2 cups natural bran
3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup oil
1 cup buttermilk or sour milk*
2 tablespoon molasses
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup dried apricots, sliced

• preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Combine bran, flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder in mixing bowl.
Beat egg, brown sugar, oil, buttermilk, molasses, together.
Add liquid ingredients to dry and stir just until moistened. Fold in the raisins and apricots.
Fill greased a 12-muffin tin 3/4 full.
Bake for 18 to 23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove muffins from cups while hot. Transfer muffins on a rack to cool.
* add 1 tablespoon vinegar to regular milk