Honey & Spice Banana Muffins

I was checking out my box of bran flakes cereal.  The same bran flakes that I always buy from Kroger that I think are the most amazing bran flakes.    I'm always shocked at how cheap they often are...like...$1.88 or even $1.66 a box.  As they say, you can't beat that with a stick. 

The flakes are pretty large in size and very hearty. The cereal does not get soggy fast. I always keep them in the house because it is one cereal that I really enjoy and it is healthy and filling. I usually add raisins or a banana.  I've never cared too much for raisin bran cereal, name brand or generic.  The flakes are lightweight and get soggy really fast.  The raisins are often hard.  The cereal tastes too sweet.   I bet you didn't know that raisin bran could be deconstructed in this way. 

So, I was looking at my box of bran flakes and noticed the recipe for the Honey & Spice Banana Muffins.  I have not used recipes from cereal boxes although I often read them.  Growing up, I do remember a recipe for baked chicken that came off the side of a box of cornflakes.   We took chicken (whole fryer, cut up), seasoned it, and rolled it around in crushed cornflakes.  We poured melted butter on it and baked it.  I remember it tasting really good.   Of course, I always wonder if it tasted good because I was in middle school and didn't know no better or was it really good?   Last night, I asked my mother if she remembered when we made that recipe.  Yes, I remember...  Do you remember it tasting good and was it really that good?  Yes, I remember...it was good...does it matter?  She gives me a strange and quizzical look that could be interpreted a many a ways, none which are good.   The memory of it tasting good is what is most important and I can leave it at that. 

So, I am trying out this muffin recipe from the side of a cereal box without the highest of expectations.   

 

Honey & Spice Banana Muffins

1 cup of bran flakes cereal
1/4 cup of skim milk
1 cup of all purpose flour
1/2 cup of honey
1/4 cup melted margarine
2/3 cup mashed ripe bananas
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoonn of cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

My substitutions and additions based on my fridge, pantry and druthers:

• 1% milk for skim milk
• real ginger for ground ginger
• added half cup of raisins (more tasty, more fiber and more calories)
• added half a cup of chopped walnuts (more tasty, more fat, more calories)
• use of a 6 cup muffin pan instead of 12 (bigger muffin, larger serving size, more calories and no 12 cup muffin pan)

Heat oven to 375 F.  In a small bowl, soak cereal in milk for 5 minutes.  In a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients, then add cereal mixture.  Beat at medium speed until well mixed.  If adding raisins and nuts, fold them into the mixture.  Spoon into greased or paper-lined 12-cup muffin pan.  Bake 20 to 25 minutes until tops spring back when touched lightly.  Larger muffins require a little longer cooking time, maybe 30-40 minutes. 

Thoughts on this recipe.   This was a pretty tasty muffin.  In terms of taste and moistness, it just cannot be compared with a pre-packaged muffin that you would buy from the grocery store or from a restaurant that is full of eggs and butter which could be 350-500 calories.   Actually, you probably could eat a slice of cake for breakfast for the same amount of calories and fat.  I found them to be rather dense but not dry.  This recipe was sweetened by honey which was the predominant flavor so the recipe is appropriately named.   I like honey, but in terms of taste would want to scale back some so that other flavors could be more prominent.  For example, I did not taste the banana and I like banana.   I was glad that I added raisins and nuts.   The fresh ginger was a good choice.

I determined that these muffins are 242 calories without the addition of raisins and walnuts.  I calculated the calories for the entire recipe and then divided it by 6.  With a piece of fruit and coffee, this makes for a healthy and filling breakfast.   Obviously, these muffins would have been half the calories if I had made them with a 12 cup muffin pan.   I opened one up and added a little margarine to the center.  I endorse these muffins although I plan on experimenting more with the recipe.