Amazingly Delicious Healthy Bran Muffins!

Oh my! It has been far too long since I've been back on here! As you can probably tell, the last four months of life have been insanely busy. I will definitely find more time to dedicate to this activity going forward, as I just love sharing all these great things I come across!

So, here's the next great thing...who doesn't love muffins? You name the kind, I love it...I just don't love the carbs and calories that come with it! Well, thanks to Cooking Light, that is now over! These Oat Bran Muffins are incredibly tasty, incredibly nutritious and are only 114 calories each! The only warning I have is that you will become addicted! This will become your new favorite breakfast item!

From "The Best of Cooking Light Everyday Favorites" (You can buy this 500 page book at Target for only $25...every recipe I've tried is AMAZING):

*One note before we go further: this recipes uses a lot of fruits and veggies (and even the skin of an orange), including the kind (like apples) that are of the worst in terms of being contaminated with pesticides and chemicals, so please go organic and save yourself from eating a lot of bug spray along with your delicious muffins! :)

Oat Bran Muffins

Ingredients:
1c all purpose flour
1c whole wheat flour
1 3/4c oat bran (or you can just blend oats, oat meal, etc.)
3/4c packed brown sugar
1/3c nonfat dry milk
1/4c flaxseeds
4tsp ground cinnamon
2tsp baking soda
2tsp baking powder
1/2tsp salt
2c shredded carrot (you can buy pre-shredded, or use a food processor to shred fresh organic ones like I do...about 5 large carrots makes 2 cups)
2c chopped granny smith apple (peeled)
1c raisins
1c fat-free milk (I use soymilk or almond milk)
1/4c olive oil (or canola, etc. - use what you have)
2tsp vanilla extract
3 large egg whites
1 orange, unpeeled and quartered
cooking spray

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Combine flours and next 8 ingredients in a LARGE bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Stir in carrots, apple, and raisins.
3. Combine milk, oil, vanilla, egg whites, and orange in a blender or food processor; process until smooth. Make a well in the center of flour mixture. Add milk mixture; stir until moist.
4. Using an ice-cream scoop, spoon batter into each of 28 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Bake in batches at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove muffins from pans immediately, and place on a wire rack to cool.

Enjoy! I usually freeze half of them and save for another time since there are only two of us...and 28 muffins is quite a lot for two people! :)

Yield: 28 muffins