Muffins are one treat that we enjoy baking. They're fluffy, great tasting and conveniently sized, making it easy to enjoy them on the go. Muffins can be made with a wide range of ingredients. So, whether you're longing for a savory breakfast muffin or a sweet dessert muffin, there's bound to be a recipe that will satisfy your cravings. Though muffins are traditionally made with all-purpose or wheat flour, they don't have to be. Gluten free flour, almond flour and cassava flour all make an excellent base for a muffin. Or, put a fun spin on traditional muffins by creating a delicious blend of your favorite flours.
Though oat bran alone can be used to make muffins, you don't have to switch up your muffin recipe entirely to reap the benefits of this wonder ingredient. To create a muffin recipe that harnesses the fluffy texture of wheat pastry flour while utilizing oat bran nutrition, we created these Flax Oat Bran Muffins. Made with wheat flour, oat bran and flaxseed meal, these muffins are a moist, nutritious and low-carb way to start your day. You can also tweak the recipe and mix in applesauce or coconut sugar. Ideal for mornings, snack time, or to pack in your kid's lunch boxes, just one bite of these muffins will inspire you to begin adding oat bran to everything.
If your mornings are jam-packed, then you may often find yourself heading out the door before you've even eaten breakfast. Breakfast is an important meal and without it, you'll likely find yourself hungry, distracted and low on energy. Luckily, eating a healthy breakfast doesn't have to take up much of your time. In fact, when prepared beforehand, all you'll have to do is grab it and go. Breakfast bars are an excellent breakfast option for busy mornings. Simply find a whole food bar recipe that you enjoy, prep a week's worth on your day off and remember to grab it as you're heading out the door.
Though breakfast bars can be made of several different ingredients, our favorite breakfast bars feature oat bran. Overflowing with nutrition and wholesome flavor, oat bran adds a unique texture to bars like these Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars that we love biting into. Additionally, the fiber in oat bran means that just one of these bars will likely be enough to keep you full until lunchtime. Made with Oat Bran Cereal, Organic Golden Flaxseed Meal and Organic Quick Cooking Rolled Oats, this bar recipe is overflowing with nutritional benefits. Pumpkin, nutmeg and brown cinnamon add sweetness to this snack, making it a healthy way to satisfy your cravings. While these bars make for a delicious breakfast recipe, they don't have to be enjoyed in the mornings. Pack one to bring with you on your next outdoor adventure, surprise your kid's with an after-practice snack, or munch on them between meals to help you resist reaching for sugary foods. Once you make these bars, we're confident they'll become a household favorite.
No matter the time of year, smoothies are an excellent meal to reach for when you're short on time. If your mornings are rushed, making it hard to find the time to make a healthy meal, then smoothies are an excellent option. Ideal for enjoying on the run, sipping on a smoothie will ensure that you get a nutritious start to the day. And because they take just minutes to make, making one won't put you behind schedule. Often loaded with healthy fruits and vegetables, smoothies are unique because you can play around with different combinations of ingredients until you find a taste, texture and thickness that you like best.
Additionally, because the foods that you used to create the smoothie have been blended, the nutrients in them are readily available for use by your body, making this breakfast one that's easy to digest. Overflowing with nutrients, fiber and antioxidants, fruits and vegetables aren't the only ingredients that can be used to make smoothies. Add-ins like protein powder, flaxseed meal and oat bran all make for excellent smoothie additions.
Overflowing with good-for-you nutrients, adding toasted oat bran to your smoothies is an excellent way to take its vitamin and mineral content to the next level. Plus, when mixed with the other ingredients, the creamy texture of oats will add smoothness to your smoothie that's hard to find otherwise.
For the perfect morning smoothie, complete with an oat bran boost, try out this Berry Peachy Hemp Smoothie Recipe. This tasty smoothie combines fresh or frozen fruit, Hemp Protein Powder, Oat Bran Cereal and a touch of maple syrup to create a thick and nutritious breakfast or snack. Enjoy it before a long workday, indulge in it after a hard gym session, or sip on it between mealsthere's no wrong time to drink this smoothie. Note:Eating raw oats is generally safe, but may cause digestive issues or increase the risk of foodborne illness.
Now that you know the many different ways to use oat bran in the kitchen, it's time to begin using this ingredient yourself. Whether you're a fan of a creamy bowl of oat bran in the mornings or care to bake it into muffins, the many uses for oat bran in the kitchen are endless. From everyone at Bob's Red Mill, have a wonderful, oat-filled day!
Do you enjoy cooking with oat bran? We'd love to hear more about the ways that you use oat bran in the kitchen. Share your favorite oat bran recipes with us in the comments below. We look forward to hearing from you.
