Easy Vegan Muffin Base + Mix-in Ideas!

This originally came off the side of a Kroger brand cereal box, and then my friend George (baking lady extraordinaire) messed with it and passed it on to me during one of our baking nights.

I have continued to have a go at it. I love this recipe because I always have everything on hand. You don't need eggs or milk and it's amazingly low maintenance. Plus: no cholesterol, low in fat, made with bran flakes AND can be made with whole wheat flour and it just begs for the addition of lots of fresh fruit.

:D

Makes 12 muffins. Takes around 30 minutes from start to finish!

• 1 C bran flakes
• 1/4 cup soy milk OR juice
• 1 C all purpose flour OR 1/2 C AP flour & 1/2 C whole wheat flour OR 1 C whole wheat flour
• 1/2 sugar (can be white or brown or half and half - or use 1/4 C agave nectar)
• 1/4 C canola oil
• 2/3 cup apple sauce (unsweetened, make sure there are no added ingredients)
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda

A couple things to note:
The more whole wheat flour you use, the flatter the muffins will be.
Substituting the soy milk for orange, pineapple, lemon juice, etc. leads to a chewier result!
The muffins are done when they're golden brown and springy to the touch.

As far as add-ins:

• 1 tsp+ of spice - any combination of spices... this is your call depending on what else you're putting in - you could even go without if you're going for chocolate.
• 1 C fresh or frozen fruit, nuts, chocolate chips, etc.

And I'll be giving my favorite recipes after breaking down how to make the batter so you have something to go off of. :D

• oven preheated to 375 F
• muffin pan
• one large bowl and one small bowl
• large wooden or plastic spoon
• variety of measuring cups and spoons
• cooking spray or paper cups for lining pan

Preheat your oven to 375 F.

First, combine the soy milk or juice with the cup of bran flakes in a small bowl. Give it a stir. This'll have to set for about five minutes.

Then, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and any spices you'll be using in a large bowl and stir with a fork until well combined.

Now add the canola oil and apple sauce to the flour mixture and mix until well combined.

At this point, dump in your bran flakes and mix again!

If you're adding fruit, add it at this point. :)

Distribute evenly in your muffin pan and bake for 22-25 minutes - 25 if you're using harder fruits like apples or pears, less time for everything else!

Needed:

• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
• 1/2 tsp cardamom
• 1/2 tsp ginger

You'll want to add 1/2 tsp cardamom and 1/2 tsp ginger to the flour mixture.

Once everything else is combined in the large bowl, add 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries.

Cook at 375 for 22 minutes. :)

Needed:

• one orange (for zest and juice)
• 1/2 tsp cloves
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• fresh ginger grated, optional

This one works a little different. You'll first combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl, adding 1/2 tsp ginger and 1/2 tsp cloves as the spice.

Then, zest your orange over the flour mixture and combine. Get as much zest off as you can!

Now, you can juice your orange - combine 1/4 cup orange juice with your one cup of bran flakes and let it sit as you add the rest of the wet ingredients (canola oil, apple sauce) to the flour mixture.

Bake at 375 for 22 minutes.

Needed:

• 1 apple, preferably Gala, Fuji, or Braeburn
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• good pinch of cloves

Add your cinnamon and cloves into your flour mixture and prepare the base as normal.

At the end, chop your apple into 1 inch pieces, leaving the skin on. 
(The best way to do this is to cut your apple in half, then quarters, and cut the core out. Then you can chop it into smaller pieces without worrying about seeds or woody bits. Easy!)

Mix the apples into your base and bake at 375 for 25 minutes. :D