Banana Chocolate Chip Bran Muffins

So banana bran muffins. The title isn't amazing. Yes I know. I am tired. Its been a busy week. After house hunting twice, two long days with my visiting father and three yr old, and playing host my dad who is on vacation in our home, I am exhausted. Still. I feel bad for not trying harder to make these sound as incredible as they really are. The title doesn't make people start drooling or put everything down to see if they can make it tonight. BUT they are good. That and only that is the reason why I am still sitting here typing about bran muffins. Bran muffins in my head were for old people with awful taste. I never thought I would be excited about them. I hope they surprise you too. 

These muffins have a lot going for it besides a sexy name. It has whole grains paired with banana sweetness, small amount of choc chips (yay chocolate), they are healthy enough for an adult to eat two or three for a meal, and are easy enough for a basic cook to make them.  To add to their accolades,   these muffins are extremely healthy, but don't taste "healthy". Let me explain. When I made these last week,  I introduced them as banana muffins. My loving husband and father were none the wiser. As much as I love those two, both men love to eat sweets. They ate these without even asking if they were healthy because they were so light & tasty. In my book, that reads success. My former preconceptions about bran muffins are banished. 

 Pssst: These would be great  to have ready for Monday morning when you are trying to rush out the door forgetting half the stuff you need plus spilling coffee. Has anyone else been there? Mondays. Yeah. This. would. even. make. Mondays. better. Cheers 

This is not my recipe. I have adapted a Eating Well Magazine recipe. Click here for the original But I love the results of mine a wee bit better.

RECIPE

Active time: 30 minutes

Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes 

Makes 12 muffins, 1 dozen

2 large eggs
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup / 2 medium very over ripe bananas (the darker the better - think black)
1 cup buttermilk 
1 Tbs orange juice
1 cup unprocessed wheat bran (do not substitute with bran cereal)
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup oat flour
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon heaping ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips 

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Coat 12 muffin cups with cooking spray.

Whisk eggs and brown sugar in a medium bowl until smooth. Then add bananas, buttermilk, oj, wheat bran, oil and vanilla.

Whisk or shift the dry ingredients the flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. 

Add the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir gently to combine, whole grains will toughen if overworked. A electric mixer wouldn't be your friend here. Stir in the chocolate chips. Let the batter sit for 5 minutes. 

Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups until batter is gone. The muffin cups should be full. I didn't use liners and didn't have a problem. But if you are taking these places a muffin cup liner would be helpful.

Bake the muffins until the tops are golden brown and spring back when touched lightly, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Loosen edges and turn muffins out onto a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.

There easy and light and delicious 

from my kitchen to yours!