{ Kendall’s Flat Belly Bran Muffins }

Spring Break is rapidly approaching, and college girls everywhere are starting their slim down diets (with the exception of me and my roommates, of course….it seems that there is no event monumental enough to deter us from eating good food). A lot of girls though have begun relocating their scales from the bathrooms to the kitchen, posting cut out’s of Victoria’s Secret models to the front of their fridges, and rearranging their schedules to make it to every zumba class that the gym offers. Now combine the number of Spring Break dieters with the number of people who have made weight-loss their New Year’s resolution, and that a lot of people who are looking to eat healthy. To cater to this large segment, I have decided to start experimenting with some easy low-cal recipes that I can post to my blog.

Nutrition 101: One of the biggest keys to success in weight-loss is eating many small meals throughout the day, beginning with a hearty breakfast (and no, sugary cereals such as Reece’s Puff’s are certainly not healthy or lo-cal).

Instead, you should look for foods that are high in protein and/or fiber and low in fat, such as eggs, fiber enriched cereals, nuts and yogurt, or my flat-belly bran muffins (which I invented on a whim this afternoon!). These muffins make for a great any-time snack or breakfast because they are loaded with fiber, which promotes your digestive systems, lowers blood cholesterol, helps control blood sugar levels, and promotes weight loss. And since I chose to use applesauce and skim milk instead of butter or oil to maintain moisture, the muffins are also very low in fat! These are probably only about 120 calories per muffin, yet they are very satisfying and will keep you feeling full for a long while.

I chose to make my muffins in two different sizes; larger ones for breakfast and smaller ones for quick snacks. And the greatest thing about these muffins is that you can freeze them and then defrost them in the microwave as needed.

Also, feel free to get creative and add other fruits or nuts. I only added raisins, but these would be great with chopped apple, dried cranberries, nuts, and/or banana. Enjoy eating your way to a smaller waist line!

{ Ingredients }

• 1 ¾ cup unprocessed bran (I use Quaker)
• 1 cup of skim milk
• 1 teaspoon of distilled white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup all-purpose white flour
• 2 egg whites
• ½ cup raisins
• ½ cup apple sauce
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

{ To Make the Muffins }

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the milk and the vinegar and allow to sit for about 10 minutes. Then add the milk mixture to the bran, stirring until combined. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon. Then add the bran mixture to this mixture, also stirring in the vanilla and egg whites. Once combined, fold in the raisins and applesauce.

If the mixture is too thick, add more applesauce. If the mixture seems too thin, then add more unprocessed bran.

Divide batter evenly among greased or lined muffin pans. Remember that these muffins are high in fiber, so make them a little smaller than you might a regular muffin because they are filling. I got 12 muffins from this recipe.

Put the muffins into the oven and allow to cook for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes clean out of the center. Allow muffins to cool in pans on wire rack and then serve, store at room temperature, or freeze!