Writing does not typically involve much movement or activity beyond staring out the window, growling at the screen and pleading with characters. Put bluntly, writers tend to be cerebral and somewhat sedentary.
I’ve decided to share the occasional recipe I’ve developed, along with a picture (don’t expect studio quality, please).
Orange Bran Muffins
2 cups white, high-fibre flour (I used Robin Hood’s Nutri Flour Blend)
1⁄2 cup wheat bran
½ cup sugar or sugar substitute equivalent
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons whole flax seed
1 whole navel orange
1 1/4 cup low fat buttermilk (or place a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice in the measuring cup and fill with low fat milk)
1⁄4 cup olive oil
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup golden raisins or dried cranberries
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit for a conventional oven or 375 degrees for a convection oven.
Grease a 12-cup muffin pan and set aside.
In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients well.
Cut the orange into pieces and pulse in a food processor until sort of smooth. Add the buttermilk, oil, egg and extract and pulse until well combined. Transfer into a separate large bowl.
Using a spatula and as few strokes as possible, combine the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until almost mixed. Stir in the raisins, again working the batter as little as possible.
Divide into 12 greased muffin tins. Bake approximately 25 minutes or until done.