Chocolate Chip Raisin Bran Muffins, Or, How to avoid the gym when you wake up early Saturday

Good Morning!  Woke up early and couldn't sleep in.  So, I got up and pulled on my shorts to get ready to go to the gym.  I was a little hungry, but not feeling the Raisin Bran in my cupboard.  (It was on sale).  So, I made these treats!

A great way to use up (most) of my cereal, and a fun weekend breakfast treat that I can freeze and eat during the week too!  I used this recipe from Eat Better America - a good site for healthified recipes of all sorts.  Made a few adjustments - my take is below.  Off to the gym  now, I guess...

Raisin Bran Muffins with Chocolate Chips

Prep Time:10 min

Start to Finish:40 min

makes:12 muffins

Ingredients

2 cups Raisin Bran cereal

1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup raisins
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chocolate chips

1. Heat oven to 400°F. Grease pan of 12 regular-size muffin cups, or line with paper baking cups.
2. Place cereal in resealable food-storage plastic bag; seal bag and crush with rolling pin or meat mallet (or crush in food processor). (I just put it in a bowl and smashed it with a pastry blender).  In medium bowl, stir cereal, buttermilk, raisins and vanilla until well mixed. Beat in oil and egg with fork until blended.
3. In another medium bowl, stir remaining ingredients until well mixed; stir into cereal mixture just until moistened. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.
4. Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. If baked in greased pan, let stand 5 minutes in pan, then remove from pan to cooling rack. If baked in paper baking cups, immediately remove from pan to cooling rack.