Flax lyrical.

Bran and Flax Seed Muffin

Not a month goes by without the appearance of a guest or two (or six) at our home. Take this February for example, we have been booked solid! At this point we have had to turn down requests and reschedule them for March, April and beyond. We seem to have become a bonafide Bed 'n Breakfast - plus lunch and dinner too. It's flattering really, to know that our hospitatlity and company is so highly regarded. As an added bonus, I have more mouths to feed and therefore more taste-testers! Never one to miss an opportunity to experiment in the kitchen, my stove, oven and mixer have been working overtime to keep up with the demand.

Breakfast during the week is usually a free-for-all since I go to work, but every now and again I like to throw in an element of surprise. This week, my in-laws happily arose to the smell of coffee and freshly baked Bran muffins. My worries that a dozen muffins would be too much were soon eased when only four were left by noon! I adapted this recipe from Gourmet magazine to include the uber-healthy Omega-3 benefits of flax seeds and walnuts. Moist, crunchy and just slightly sweet, these muffins are a delectable and healthy breakfast treat. I find they are best eaten when fresh from the oven - still steaming and aromatic and topped with a tiny dab of salted butter.

Bran and Flax Seed Muffins - adapted from Gourmet Magazine, October 1991

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg, beaten lightly
• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup dark molasses
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup bran
• 1/4 cup flax seeds
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 tps poppy seeds
  

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer cream together the butter and the brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Next, beat in the egg, the Greek yogurt, and the molasses. Stir in the raisins, flax seeds, poppy seeds and walnuts.

In a bowl whisk together the flour, the baking soda, the salt, and the bran, then add the mixture to the yogurt mixture and stir the batter until it is just combined. (The batter will be lumpy.) Spoon the batter into 12 well-buttered 1/3-cup muffin tins (I used non-greased silicone muffin tins) and bake the muffins in the middle of the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are golden brown and springy to the touch. Turn the muffins out onto a rack and let them cool.