Whole Grain Honey Bran Muffins

Ingredients

• 4 cups wheat bran
• 1 cup wheat germ
• 2 cups boiling water
• ¾ cups melted coconut oil or butter
• ¼ cups brown sugar , only if you want them a touch sweeter (optional)
• ½ cups molasses
• ½ cups honey
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 ¼ cups whole wheat flour , see note
• 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• ⅔ cups milk
• 1 ¼ cups buttermilk

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine the wheat bran and wheat germ. Pour in the boiling water and stir to combine. The mixture may look crumbly, it’s ok if it doesn’t appear to be soaking wet. Let it rest for 10 minutes.
2. Stir in the coconut oil (or butter), sugar (if using), molasses, honey, eggs and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and soda. Whisk together the milk and buttermilk.
3. Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the muffin batter and mix until just combined. Stir in 1/2 of the milk mixture. Add another 1/3 of the dry ingredients, stirring just until combined. Add the last half of the milk and stir together. Add the final dry ingredients and mix just until combined (don’t over mix or the muffins might be dense).
4. Let the batter rest for 20-30 minutes if you have the time. It isn’t completely necessary but I think it gives the muffins a slightly higher rise than baking them right away. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
5. Fill lightly greased muffin tins about 2/3 full and bake for 18-22 minutes until the tops spring back lightly to the touch. Don’t overbake; we don’t want dry muffins here.