Banana Oat Bran Muffins are a great way to use up bananas that are past their prime, and the muffins are incredibly good. You might not even recognize them as "healthy" muffins given how delicious they taste. The muffins are moist, lightly sweetened with dark brown sugar, and studded with dried cranberries. Oats and wheat bran provide fiber and texture to the muffins. Because the bananas provide moisture as well as sweetness and taste, the muffins only require a small amount of fat. Buttermilk provides additional moisture as well as a slight tang. I like the muffins dusted with a little turbinado sugar, which provides the muffins a slightly crunchy top after baking, but the extra sugar isn't necessary. The Banana Oat Bran Muffins are great for breakfast, and they make terrific after school snacks. Yes--that time is coming--soon!
Banana Oat Bran Muffins -- Makes 12
3 very ripe bananas, peeled and mashed well
1/3 cup of canola oil
2/3 cup of low-fat buttermilk
1 egg
1/2 cup of dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1/2 cup of wheat bran
1/2 cup of oats (quick or old fashioned)
1 cup of all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/3 cup of dried cranberries
2 tablespoons of turbinado (raw) sugar (optional)
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners (or spray the muffin wells well with non-stick cooking spray). In a large bowl, combine the bananas, oil, buttermilk, egg, brown sugar, and vanilla and beat them well. Add the wheat bran, oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon and stir until all the ingredients are moistened. Stir in the dried cranberries until they are well distributed and no white streaks remain in the batter. Divide the batter among the muffin wells and sprinkle on the turbinado sugar, if you're using it. Bake the muffins for 22-25 minutes or until a pick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out with moist crumbs but no wet batter attached. Let the muffins cool in the pan for a few minutes before removing them to cool completely.
