If it’s got Bran in it, it’s a Health Food. Fact.

The fact that these ‘health’ muffins have been laced with sugar, eggs and oil is neither here nor there. Surely the raisins counteract some of the other less waistline friendly ingredients . . . Maybe even count towards one of your 5 a day?? Wishful thinking. Despite their digestion aiding qualities, these muffins are actually pretty good. This recipe is not dissimilar to those I’ve come across claiming to be ’30 day muffins’ where you supposedly keep the batter, uncooked, in your fridge for up to a month and use as and when. With a bowl full of batter in my fridge where are all my collection of half empty milk cartons and countless jars of out-of-date condiments? The ingredients go something like this, but they can be and often are tampered with depending on the preferences of the eaters in question.

1 Cup of Bran (you can buy enough to sink a ship from Holland and Barrett for under 2 quid)
1 Cup Whole-wheat Flour
1 ½ Cups Plain Flour
1 ½ Cups Light Brown Sugar
2 Cups Milk (Skimmed or Whole, I find it doesn’t make any difference)
½ Cup of Oil
2 Large Eggs
2 Apples – Grated
2 Cups Raisins
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
2 Tsp Each of Baking Powder and Bicarbonate of Soda
2 Tsp Cinnamon
½ Tsp Mixed Spice



I’d like to say that I go on to sieve all of the dry ingredients in a big bowl, but I don’t, I just incorporate them with a spoon, while the oven is pre-heating at Gas Mark 4 or 180, beat the eggs with the milk, oil and sugar, then add your apple, raisins and vanilla. Pour the wet onto the dry and mix as little as possible until everything has come together, just. I’ve tried using one fork, two forks, a wooden spoon and various other tools around and about to figure out the best implement to avoid over mixing (produces a tough muffin) but uninterestingly, the old metal tablespoon does the trick. Bake for about twenty minutes and there you have it - Health and virtue, in the cunning disguise of a muffin.