So I’m calling this week: “comfort and joy”, rolling into mid week with this recipe for simple cereal muffins. Not counting the prepackaged ‘masterpieces’ I created in my Easy Bake Oven, making muffins from cereal was most likely the first actual edible food I ever baked (or roasted, sauteed or what have you). Being I am, ahem o-l-d, we had two kinds of cereal in my childhood home – either Raisin Bran and some super sugary preservative laden stuff. Back then, anything considered ‘healthy’ was also considered ‘hippy’ so not to be found in my parent’s house, that’s for sure…

The latter type cereal surely came with a highly touted  (and cheap!) prize of some kind, which my brother most certainly had already fished out as soon as he spied the box in the pantry. For me, it was usually Raisin Bran all the way – it tasted delicious even to an 8-year-old me, but I had no thought that bran might actually be good for me too. These days I sometimes still enjoy a bowl of Raisin Bran – no other  bran with cereal will do, mind you! And if I feel like making muffins, I can always make easy, tasty ones with just a few additional ingredients. Oh, and I hope this recipe isn’t too “Sandra-esque” in it’s semi-homemade fashion…I figured since this recipe goes back way before the Food Channel, it’s ‘grandfathered in’…safely ensconced from any Bourdain-like criticism. Okay? Have a good day, my friends.

Probably have all these items in your frig. Well, maybe not the preschool sized cup of applesauce but hey, just use 1/2 cup from the big boy jar.

Mix the wet ingredients, well everything but that applesauce.

Add that egg mixture to the cereal, stir and allow to sit a few minutes.

I find when making muffins its best to mix everything together at once. Here is the cereal mixture, applesauce and dry ingredients ready for a few stirs.

Whoaaaa there, don’t over mix. That makes muffins heavy and ‘tough’. And nobody wants tough muffins…tee-hee-hee.

Fill the muffin tin. I use paper liners -no muss, no fuss!

Here they are, hot from the oven. This recipe will make about 8 or 9 regular sized muffins.

Cereal Muffins

• 2 cups cereal with flakes – I used Great Grains, crunchy pecan, but Raisin Bran is great too
• 1 cup all purpose or white wheat flour
• 1 cup buttermilk (low fat or whole)
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 4-oz cup apple sauce with cinnamon (about ½ a cup)
• 2 tbl Demera or white sugar
• ¼ cup agave nectar
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• ½ tsp salt

In a large bowl pour the buttermilk over the cereal and stir just to combine. In a separate bowl whisk the egg, agave nectar, and the oil. Add this to the cereal/buttermilk mixture. Stir and allow to sit for 5 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In another bowl mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Add the cereal/liquid mixture and the apple sauce to dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Do not over mix! Fill prepared muffins cups (use liners, I do!) and bake for 15 minutes. Makes about 8 to 9 medium/large muffins.