My Mighty Muffin Experiment

One of my co-workers donated money to my Bike MS fundraising last week.    As a part of my Bake MS Campaign, I promised friends and family who donated $25 or more that I would bake them the treat of their choice.    My friend suggested that I try something from the Engine 2 Diet.    I had never heard of it.   So I visited their site and their facebook page and decided on Breakfast Mighty Muffins.

Engine 2 is a plant-based diet plan.   The name comes from the firehouse in Texas that joined together on a healthy eating campaign to help support one of their co-workers who had very high cholesterol.   This may be the first thing I've ever baked that is vegan.  Most baking recipes have butter, eggs, milk chocolate, etc.   I can say for certain that this is the first time in my life that I bought oat bran.   I just up and walked into Sunflower Market and strolled into the bulk food section.  

There it was.  Oat Bran.   It had been there the whole time.   I just never knew. 

I didn't know how the oat bran would cook.   I still really don't know.   All I know is that you need to fill up the muffin cups really high because it doesn't rise the way traditional flour (with eggs and butter/oil) does, so be generous!

Since this was my first time...an oat bran and vegan baking virgin, you know, I followed the original recipe...almost exactly.   Click here for the original recipe

What you need
3 cups oat bran
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons dark brown sugar (the orignial recipe just says sweetener - this was my choice)
juice of 1 lemon
1 large apple, grated
4 large ripe bananas, lightly mashed
1/4 cup walnuts chopped
1/4 shredded coconut
3/4 cup water

What you do
Preheat oven to 375.  Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl.   Squeeze the juice of the lemon onto the combined apple and bananas (science at it's finest...keeps them from turning brown).   Add walnuts, coconut and water.   Combine the wet and dry ingredients into one bowl.   Spoon into sprayed muffin tins and bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown on top.

What I learned
I didn't see any impact from the Colorado altitude, I baked them the suggested 45 minutes. 
The recipe didn't indicate how many muffins the batch would make.   I ended up with 12 standard sized muffins.   I spread the remaining batter in the bottom of a 9 inch cake pan and baked it for about 20 minutes and ended up with.....Mighty Muffin Wedges!

Part of the fun of cooking is stepping outside your comfort zone, what you're good at, and trying something new.  I consider this a success and am willing to trying other healthy, plant-based, recipes.