I haven't struggled so much to come up with a name for a recipe before. Usually I go with the title of the original recipe if it is from some source or pick something which is more apt. This oat bran muffin recipe is an exception to it because it has a big list of healthy ingredients and leaving even just one doesn't seem right to me.
So you must be wondering what is really there in this muffin! It has significant amount of oat bran, carrots, apples, zucchini, raisins and pecans. I have made it vegan as well. Now you can understand what I'm talking about right? Muffins can't get any healthier and tastier too. Yes you read it right, these oat bran muffins are damn tasty. You don't really realize the presence of oat bran because it is loaded with lot of other ingredients.
Usually when a recipe calls for a huge quantity of healthy flour like whole wheat or oat bran in this case, we usually try to mask it with a whole lot of other unhealthy ingredients but in the end term it as healthy. But this muffin recipe is a BIG exception to this. It has so much other healthy ingredients going in but it actually doesn't taste healthy at all. It tastes just like any other ordinary carrot muffin or even better I can say. I found this recipe in "250 Best Muffin Recipes" by Esther Brody. I have modified it a little bit to make it vegan and to use the stuff I had in the refrigerator. My son helped me with measuring the ingredients and when I was in doubt myself whether the muffins are going to turn out right, like a big fellow he was assuring me that it is going to be just fine. And it was very fine indeed! These oat bran muffins are good for any time of the day. It can be a very good way to start your day with a cup of milk or freshly squeezed orange juice, or to pack it in the lunch box as dessert, or an after school snack or to end your day with a guiltless indulgence.
Recipe
Wholesome Vegan Oat Bran Muffins Recipe
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 cup All Purpose Flour
- 1 cup Oat Bran
- 2 teaspoons Baking Soda
- 1 and ¼ teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cardamom
- 1 cup Brown Sugar, packed (light brown)
- 1 cup Grated Carrots
- 1 cup Grated Apple
- 1 cup Grated Zucchini
- ½ cup Raisins
- 1 cup Chopped Pecans
Wet Ingredients:
- ¼ cup Oil (I used Canola)
- ½ cup Unsweetened Applesauce
- ¼ cup Water
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F/190C for 15 minutes. Line required muffin tins with paper liners or grease it with a non stick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, stir together the dry ingredients and make a well in the center.
- Similarly combine together the wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Just stir it well with a whisk.
- Pour the wet mixture of the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Do not over-mix.
- Spoon the batter into prepared muffin tins.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes for the mini muffins and around 16 minutes for the regular size muffins. The time mentioned in the original recipe was about 20 minutes, but when I did the toothpick test around 15 minutes I saw that the muffins were almost done, so just left it for one more minute.
- Leave the pan on the wire rack for just 5 minutes and transfer the muffins directly to the cooling rack. If the muffins are left in the pan for more than 5 minutes the muffins will start to condense.
My Notes
- I just washed the carrot, apple and zucchini. Did not peel it before grating.
- Zucchini was not used in the original recipe, instead 2 apples were used and ½ cup skim milk. Since I used grated zucchini it started secreting water and so used only ¼ of liquid (water in this case to make it vegan). So if you are using all apples, you may want to use another ¼ cup of liquid or add less or more according to the consistency of the batter.
- Also 2 teaspoons of cinnamon was used. Since I'm not a cinnamon fan I used 1 teaspoon of cardamom instead and actually felt that even that was more. If you are not a spice fan like me even ½ teaspoon should be fine.
- Once the dry and wet ingredients are mixed together you may notice that the mixture is very tight unlike the usual muffin batter. Don't worry though because the zucchini starts secreting water and makes it right.
- The mini muffin cups hold roughly about a tablespoon of the batter and fill the regular size muffin to the top of the tin. Since this muffin batter is thick it does not rise a whole lot, so you don't have to worry about the muffins overflowing.
- The original recipe mentions that it will yield 18 regular size muffins. Since I wanted to pack it for my son's lunch I first filled a 24 mini muffin tin and the rest of the batter was just enough for 9 regular muffins. Had I spooned the batter among the 9 muffin cups I would have got even beautiful muffins with bigger tops.
karthik says
nalla iruku madam. but koncham tamilla podalame 🙂
Thanks Karthik.
Priya (Yallapantula) Mitharwal says
Hi Madhuram, it was nice visiting your blog for the first time. You got a wonderful collection and very good for me as all are eggless. Thanks for these. I am following you now. Please do visit my blog if you get time 🙂
Welcome to my blog, Priya.</</em>strong>
Gayatri says
Excellent Recipe Madhuram. I made a few changes and the muffin turned out very tasty. Have to see if my toddler likes this. I grinded old fashioned oats instead of oat bran as I did not have oat bran. Will definetely do this again.
That was very quick Gayatri. Thanks for trying the recipe.
Jayasri says
They look lovely Madhu!!, one more thing I sent a link to your quinoa event!!, I would like to know if you got it.
Thanks Jayasri. I have been busy for the past couple of days. So will check the mail and get back to you.
Sweatha says
Wow,Love the muffins and nice that you added zucchini to it.Love the cardamom flavour you have made as well.
thakkudu says
Nice muffins Madhuram akka! appudiyee oru dozen parcel anuppi vaikkavum... 🙂
Welcome Thakkudu. Address kudunga, pack pannidalaam.
Priya says
Cute and healthy muffins..
Kalyani says
looks delicious .........
Swathi says
Madhuram,
I love this muffins, they are really healthy .you are right adding some all purpose flour won't hurt.
harini-jaya says
i like the idea of zucchini..i was thinking of sweet potato..any idea how that wld be?
No idea Harini. I have not used it while baking.
Swathi says
Madhu,
Nice muffins, i like when it healthy, you are right, adding all purpose flour makes it right.
Kiran says
Very delicious and healthy muffins.Thanks for sharing.
Soumya says
Hmmm....sounds and looks so yummy....I have been thinking of making a zucchini cake/muffin from a long time but this sounds perfect.Will try out soon.
notyet100 says
delicious this looks,..
Champa says
Nice muffins Madhuram. I saw your comment. You can send this entry if you want since I got the picture online. If you want to add the picture to your post, that'll be fine too.
Here is the link to get the picture.
http://www.amazon.com/Another-250-Best-Muffin-Recipes/dp/0778800202