Vegan Bran Muffins

I have been craving bran muffins for so long! They are just the perfect on-the-go snack or breakfast, but they are even better when you bake them from fresh or have the option of putting them in the oven to make them warm again! This is a family recipe that I adjusted to make vegan. It is a super simple and healthy option for a muffin.

I decided to add a variety of toppings just to see which would work the best or if they would all be equally yummy. I sprinkled on some: Sunflower seeds, Pumpkin seeds, and Oats. I must say that adding a topping makes for a great contrast between the crunch from the topping and the moist, soft center of the muffin. 

This batter makes between 20-24 muffins, depending on how much batter you use for each muffin. What is great is that this batter lasts up to 4 weeks in the fridge, which allows you to bake it as you eat it!

Ingredients:

- 6 cups Bran flakes*

- 2 cups Boiling water 

- 4 Tbsp Flax meal 

- 12 Tbsp water

- 1 cup Vegan butter **

- 2 1/4 cups Sugar

- 1 liter Plant-based milk ***

- 4 Tbsp Vinegar

- 5 tsp Baking soda

- 500g Raisins (optional and amount can be altered)

- 5 cups Self-raising flour

- 1 cup Oats 

- 1 tsp salt

Toppings: (optional)

- Pumpkin seeds

- Sunflower seeds

- Oats

- Walnuts

- Pecan nuts

- Almonds

* I used All Bran as it is readily available and vegan of course. 

** I used Ole which can be found in any checkers or pick n pay if you cannot find this, Cardin can also be used.

*** I used soy milk as that is all I had on hand but I'm sure others would work just as well.

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.

2. Combine the Bran flakes and 2 cups of water

3. Combine the Flax meal and 12 Tbsp of water together, this will create a flax egg. Let this sit for about 5-10 minutes.

4. Cream together the butter and sugar. 

5. Add in the flax egg, milk, and bran mix, stir well to combine.

6. Add all the dry ingredients and raisins.

7. Mix the batter well.

8. Spray a muffin tin with some non-stick spray and fill it 3/4 of the cup.

9. Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until a kebab stick comes out clean when poked into the center of a muffin. If you would like a crispier top then bake a few minutes longer, but keep an eye on it.