Golden Beet Bran Muffins with Flaxseed

Makes approximately 18 medium-sized muffins.

Ingredients:

1 cup organic unbleached white flour

¼ cup organic ground flaxseed meal

½ cup organic brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon finely ground sea salt

1½ cups organic wheat bran

½ cup organic whole milk

1 6-ounce container organic maple vanilla yogurt

2½ small fresh organic golden beets

¼ cup organic honey

¼ cup organic walnut oil

2 tablespoons organic flaxseed oil

2 teaspoons organic vanilla flavor

¼ cup unsweetened organic applesauce

4 large cage-free organic eggs whites

½ cup vanilla seltzer water

1 cup organic golden raisins

Instructions:

Prepare the beets in advance: cut off the leaves about 3” from the beets, put the beets in a pot of cool water, bring the water to a boil and cook the beets for about 45 minutes or until they are tender. Make sure to replenish the water as they boil so that the beets are always covered with water. Under cold running water, remove the skin of the beets with a knife, slice the beets, and chop them into 1” chunks. Set the beet chunks aside.
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Grease the muffin pans, including the top of the pans where the muffin tops form.
In a medium mixing bowl, sift the dry ingredients together (except the wheat bran): white flour, flaxseed meal, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In another medium mixing bowl, mix the wheat bran with the milk and the yogurt. Let it soak for a few minutes (5-10 min.).
Put the beets into a food processor and purée them with the honey, oil (walnut and flax-seed), vanilla and applesauce until the purée is a smooth creamy consistency. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites until they’re frothy.
Add the seltzer water to the egg whites and whisk until frothy and bubbly.
Add the beet purée to the egg whites and seltzer water. Whisk until creamy and frothy.
Add the bran mixture to the egg white mixture and whisk them together until creamy.
Slowly add the flour mixture to the bran mixture, stirring gently. Don’t over stir the batter.
Fold in the raisins.
Fill the muffin pan holes with batter. Try to evenly distribute the raisins into each hole.
Bake for 18-20 minutes (or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean).
Cool the muffins partially in the pan, and then remove them and continue cooling on a wire rack. Serve when still warm.
Note: these can be served plain or cut in half with your child’s favorite jam spread on each half.