Magic Meltdown Bran Muffins

sadly, i did not come up with the name but these are really great muffins all the same. this recipe is from my rapidly deteriorating goddess in the kitchen cookbook (by marjie lapanja) and i figured here would be a good place to keep this. just a few notes: i make my own applesauce for this. just cut up a few apples, put them in a pot, add water and boil 'til saucey. i've found that a microplane is perfect for grating the carrots and, as for the fresh fruit, anything will work really. i like a combo of mango and crushed pineapple but pretty any non-citrus fruit is fine. prep time and cooking times are both estimated.

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 1⁄3 cup whole wheat flour
• 2⁄3 cup unbleached white flour
• 1⁄4 cup wheat germ
• 1 1⁄2 cups  unprocessed  oat bran (or wheat bran)
• 1⁄4 cup cornmeal
• 1  tablespoon baking powder
• 3⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2  eggs, beaten
• 1⁄4 cup honey
• 1  tablespoon canola oil
• 2  tablespoons molasses
• 2⁄3 cup applesauce
• 1 1⁄3 cups low-fat milk
• 1⁄2 cup carrot, finely grated
• 1  cup blueberries (fresh or frozen, both work just fine)
• 1⁄2 cup  fresh fruit, chopped

Directions

1. preheat oven to 375 (F).
2. in a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients (first 8 ingredients).
3. in another large bowl combine the wet ingredients (next 6 ingredients).
4. pour the wet into the dry and mix until just combined.
5. gently stir in the carrots and fruit.
6. scoop batter into muffin tins, filling each cup to the top.
7. baking time seems to vary and i'm not entirely sure why but set the timer for 20 minutes and check on the muffins every 5 minutes after that. it'll probably take about 40 minutes. basically, you want your muffins to pass the old toothpick test. keep in mind though, a little underdone is ok as these freeze and reheat wonderfully.