Chocolate Bran Muffins

One chocolate bran muffin is only one Weight Watchers point, which puts it at the same level as an apple or an orange for those who do not know the Weight Watchers point system.  If you are doing Dr.  Phil's balanced diet, then this counts as one bread/cereal serving.  Enjoy.

Makes 24 Muffins

1 2/3 cup Water* 1/2 cup Fiber One Bran or All Bran Cereal 1/2 cup Applesauce (I use a 4oz Mott's Cinnamon Applesauce snack container) 1 cup Brown sugar 1 cup Unbleached or cake flour 1/4 cup Wheat bread or Oat Bran flour 2/3 cup Cocoa 6 Tbsp Saco cultured buttermilk* 2 tsp Baking Soda 1 tsp Salt 1 tsp Vanilla 2 Eggs 1 Tbsp Butter, softened (optional)

In a blender, blend the water, cereal, applesauce and sugar on high until smooth.  Set aside.  In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flours, cocoa, buttermilk, baking soda, and salt.  Add the liquid mixture and the remaining ingredients.  Beat on low speed with a mixer just until all of the dry ingredients have been moistened.

Spray a light coating of cooking spray over your muffin pan, or use paper liners.  Fill each cup with batter to about 1/2 of the way.  It should fill 20 - 24 cups.

Bake at 350 for about 15 min. or until toothpick comes out slightly moist.  (If the muffins are slightly undercooked, they will be more moist.  The bran tends to dry them out.)  Cool on a wire rack.

Tips
Here are substitutions:

• For any amount of brown sugar that you do not have, you may use granulated sugar instead.
• If you do not wish to dirty a blender, then soak the bran cereal in the water until mostly absorbed.  Blend together all of the wet ingredients before mixing in the dry ones.
• For a lower cholesterol version, use only 1 egg and omit the butter.

*If you choose to use real buttermilk instead of the dried, then use 2 cups in place of the water and eliminate the powdered milk.

This is an original recipe that may not be used commercially without the consent of the owners of jonrachel.com.