Start Your Kiddos Morning Right!

My kiddos fav breakfast lately is a smoothie and muffins! Our basic smoothie recipe is 1 1/2 cups orange juice, 1 greek yogurt (Chobani), mixed frozen berries, and frozen pineapple or peaches... or grapes... or whatever frozen fruit we have! Super easy and fast and so healthy- vitamin c, antioxidants, calcium, protein, etc etc. (Right now so many fruits are super cheap- I have been buying whats in season at a great price and freezing! So much cheaper than buying frozen fruits and you can put them in baggies the size you like in your smoothies. Bagging in small bags also makes it easier for the kiddos to help make their own!)

We love bran muffins and have especially enjoyed a Whole Wheat Flax'n Apple Muffin recipe from my sister Jenny. Thanks Jenny! Here is the recipe for that and a basic bran one we LOVE...

Whole Wheat Flax'N Apple Muffins

1/4 c milled flax seed
1 1/2 c flour (I do 1/2 cup wheat bran, 1 cup white wheat flour)
1/2 c sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 c finely chopped apples
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/2 c milk
1/2 c chopped nuts
Blend dry ingredients together in a bowl. In a separate bowl; combine egg, vegetable oil and milk. Add dry ingredients to egg mixture and stir until just blended. Fold in apples and nuts. Batter will be thick. Fill well-greased muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 400 degrees F. for 15-18 minutes or until top springs back when touched.
Yield: 12 muffins.
Modified from www.hodgsonmill.com

Refrigerator Bran Muffins
from Sister Hinckley
2 cups boiling water
6 cups Kellogg's All Bran Cereal
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup applesauce
1 1/2 Cups sugar
4 eggs
1 quart buttermilk
5 cups flour (I do 2 white, 2 1/2 wheat)*
5 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt

Pour boiling water over bran cereal in a large bowl. Add shortening. Stir to mix well. Stir in remaining ingredients. Drop spoonfuls into muffin tin and bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.

The best part about this recipe is that it makes TONS! I use half the batter to bake about 24 muffins. The rest of the batter goes into an airtight container and into the fridge for muffins on demand. Good for 2 weeks in the fridge.  *I know this doesn't add up to 5 cups but the wheat is heavier than white so to keep my muffins moist this has been the best wheat/white ratio!