Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Orange Date Bran Whole-wheat Muffins

It’s Allergy Friendly Muffin Monday!

I am a ‘bran fan’…Raisin Bran, Bran Flakes, Weetabix…does anyone remember the cereal Pep? Loved it! Topped with something sweet…my favourite was a layer of Demerara sugar…I was ready to start my day.

I have always been a ‘muffin fan’…so it was natural for me to transition my love of bran, muffins and allergy friendly baking into one.

Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Orange Date Bran Whole-wheat Muffins

Moist, rich in flavour, with a touch of orange sweetness…these muffins satisfy my bran muffin cravings.

I re-discovered this recipe from my clippings file…Canadian Living Magazine’s March 2001 edition. Click here for the original recipe.

Just a few adaptions to make this recipe dairy and egg free.

1) Replace the 1 1/3 cups buttermilk with 1 1/3 cups Natur-a Rice Beverage or Natur-a Soy Beverage mixed with 1 tbsp. white vinegar
2) Replace 1 egg with 1 tbsp. flaxmeal mixed with 3 tbsp. water and left to rest in the refrigerator over night.
3) For a touch of orange in the recipe…replace the flax egg water with 3 tbsp. of freshly squeezed orange juice and add the zest of one orange to the dry ingredients.
4) To up the fibre…I replaced the 2 cups of all-purpose flour with whole-wheat flour which increased the whole-wheat flour in the recipe to 2 3/4 cups.
5) I placed a bit of date on top of the Dairy, Egg ,Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Orange Date Bran Whole-wheat Muffins before I sprinkled the tops of the muffins with All Bran Flakes before baking.

I think the combination of the molasses, dates and bran create a rich, moist flavourful muffin that will change your mind about bran muffins if you’re not already a ‘bran fan’!

This past Saturday I was at the Kniterary…the lovely ladies in my knitting class and I were starting the heel on our stripy socks. (my sock is the longer one top right)

For sustenance…the lovely ladies enjoyed sampling my Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Date Bran Whole-wheat Muffins.

I was surprised to learn…all the lovely ladies at knitting were ‘date bran fans’…not necessarily ‘raisin fans’.

One of the lovely ladies at knitting suggested the addition of orange. I couldn’t resist… I had to make a batch the very next morning.

Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Orange Date Bran Whole-wheat Muffins

Dates + Bran + Orange = Perfectly yummy! 

Enjoy! 

P.S. My neighbour, Joanna, also writes a blog., That Thing I Made..today it was a very personal and heartfelt one concerning her friend with a brain tumour. I would have been honoured to join her ‘Team Running For Love’ but unfortunately, I will not be available.  My thoughts and prayers are with her and her family during this very scary time. Click here for a link to her story.

Update: Carla @ My 1/2 Dozen Daily has generously offered to put names in draw to win one of her beautiful hand-made summer tote bags to anyone that donates a minimum of $10.00 to the Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada. Click here for more details on her blog.