Healthy Breakfast Bread (Or Muffins)

Chock full of healthy ingredients. If you like your muffins a little sweeter, use the optional crumb topping. These will not rise a whole bunch.

• Ready In: 55 mins
• Yields: 12 muffins

Ingredients

• 1  cup all-purpose flour
• 3⁄4 cup quick-cooking barley
• 1⁄2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1  tablespoon baking powder
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 3⁄4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3⁄4 cup milk, warmed
• 1⁄2 cup butter, melted
• 2  large eggs
• 1⁄2 cup carrot, grated
• 1⁄2 cup apple, grated
• 1⁄2 cup golden raisin
• 1  cup pecans, coarsely chopped

• Optional Crumb Topping

• 1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2  tablespoons sugar
• 1⁄4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2  tablespoons butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F
2. Take your quick-cook barley and grind it, using either a blender or a grain mill. It will come out finer with a mill, but a blender works fine as well.
3. Put the ground barley in the warmed milk while you assemble the remainder of the batter.
4. Combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, backing soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
5. In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs, add the melted butter, and the milk/barley mixture.
6. Combine in the dry ingredients until just mixed.
7. Mix in the grated carrots and apples.
8. Fold in the pecans and raisins.
9. For the optional topping, mix together all the ingredients until coarse crumbs form.
10. Pour the batter into either a greased loaf pan or muffin tins.
11. If desired, sprinkle on the crumb topping.
12. Bake muffins for about 25 minutes, and the bread for about 35-40 minutes.