Wheat Bran Bran contains B vitamins and is great source of fiber. (t is what is left over when milling the wheat flour.) It is a natural ingredient and keeps things moving through your body. You can put it into almost anything. Add it in when making granola, cookies, muffins, casseroles and breads. These recipes are from my cookbook called "Step-By-Step to Natural Food" by Diane Cambell. BRAN MUFFINS 1 egg 1 t baking soda 2 T safflower oil 1/4 t sea salt 2 T honey 1 c bran 2 T molasses 3/4 c whole wheat flour 3/4 c yogart 1/4 c water Mix the first column of ingredients together. Add the second column. Butter and flour a muffin tin or use paper muffin holders. Bake for 30 mins. at 350 degrees. Cool before serving. Variations: Add 1/2 cup raisins or sunflower seeds Bake in 8/10 glass pan, cut into squares Add 1 cup mashed ripe banana Add 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries Add 1 cup finely chopped apples Add 1/4 t nutmeg, 1/2 t cinnamon and 1/2 cup chopped apples _____________________________ SHAKE IN A BAG CHICKEN 1 c bran 1/2 t garlic powder 1/4 t sea salt 1/2 t onion powder 2 T parsley 1 T dried onions Place all the above ingredients in a large bag. Remove skin from chicken pieces and shake in the bag. Place in a glass baking dish, uncovered and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until chicken is done. Some smaller chickens are finished within one hour. This came from "The Grains Cookbook" by Bert Greene This is a direct quote from his book: How to Cook it 'There is no hard and fast rule for cooking with bran, but there are ways of varying its anomous flavor and somehat fibrous texture.' 'To enhance the taste of unprocessed bran, consider toasting it in a medium hot heavy skillet, stirring often until the mixture takes on a decided amber-to-brown hue.' 'Preheating processed bran in a warm (300 deg F) oven for 10 to 15 minutes will likewise give it a stronger flavor and more toothsome bite.' 'It is important to note that both unprocessed and processed bran may be bround to a variety of textures, from a flour-like powder to rough crumbs, in a food processor or blender.' 'Bran makes an admirable substitute for bread crumbs in most recipes, and mixing crushed bran crumbs with sugar and a modicum ob butter will provide a delicately nutty flavored topping for cakes and pastries. Unprocessed oat bran, substitueded for a portion of wheat bran in baking recipes, will produce moister, decidedly more silken hot breads, pancakes, and cookies.' Recipes from "The Grains Cookbook" by Bert Greene BUTTERMILK BRAN BREAD (He says to toast and slather with peanut butter and honey) 2 packages dry yeast 1/2 cup lukewarm water 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature 2 tablespoons safflower oil 1/4 cup honey 1 teaspoon coarse (kosher) salt 1 cup unprocessed wheat bran 1 cup whole-wheat flour 5 cups all-purpose flour (approximately) Cornmeal 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted 1. Place the yeast in a large bowl and sprinkle it with the water. Let it stand a few minutes to soften; then stir in the buttermilk, safflower oil, molasses, honey, salt, and bran. Let stand for 5 minutes. 2. Slowly beat in the whole-wheat flour with a heavy wooden spoon, and then about 3 1/2 cups of the all-purpose flour, enough to form a slightly sticky dough, Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough for 10 minutes, incorporating about 1 more cup of the all-purpose flour. When the dough is elastic, plact it in a large lightly greased bowl. Turn the dough so that it is lightly greased all over. Cover tightly, and let rise until doubled, 2 1/2 hours. 3. Punch the dough down and divide it in half. Knead each half briefly on a lightly floured board, forming them into round loaves. Place the loaves on a cornmeal-sprinkled baking sheet, cover with a flour-rubbed tea towel, and let stand 1 hour. 4. Preheat the oven to 375 deg. F. 5. Brush the tops to the loaves with the melted butter. Bake in the top third of the oven until golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped with your finger, about 30 minutes. Makes 2 loaves These come from a book called "Whole Grains and Honey" by Eugene Kowalski. ************************** BRAN MUFFINS 2 c wheat flour 1 egg 1 1/2 c bran 2 c buttermilk 2 T brown sugar 1/2 c molasses 1/4 t soda 4 T melted shortening 1/2 t salt Mix together the flour, bran, brown sugar, soda and salt. Beat the egg, and mix it with the buttermilk, molasses and shortening. Stir the liquid into the dry ingredients very lightly. Bake at 350 deg for about 25 minutes. VARIATION: Fold in 1 cup raisins and/or nuts with the last mixing Makes about 24 muffins ********************************* BRAN CAKES (cookies) 2 cups wheat flour 2 eggs 1 t baking powder 3/4 t soda 1 t cinnamon 1 t vanilla 1/2 t salt 2/3 c milk 2/3 c sweet butter 1/2 c raisins 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 c chopped nuts 1/2 c honey 2 1/2 c bran Mix together the flour, baking ppowder, cinnamon and salt. Melt the butter and stir in the sugar and honey. Beat the eggs well, and add them to the butter mixture. Mix the soda and vanilla into the milk, then add the milk and butter mixtures alternately to the dry ingredients. When well mixed, add to the batter the raisins, nuts and bran, and mix in well. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a well-greased baking sheet, an inch or more apart, and bake at 400 deg for about 10 minutes. Makes about 50 cookies. You could make Bran Flakes (add raisins for raisin bran) Make a mixture of thin bran and water (about 2 cups mixture), add about 1/2 teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons honey. Mix and pour on an oiled cookie sheet and bake at 300 degrees for about 20 - 25 minutes. Take it off the pan immediately. Cool and break it into pieces. Now you have flakes for your breakfast.