Fig Bran Muffins

Ingredients

• 2 cups wheat bran
• ½ cup non-fat yogurt 
• 1 cup water 
• ¼ teaspoon orange zest 
• 1 tablespoon wildflower honey
• 3 tablespoons fig jam 
• ½ cup packed light brown sugar 
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg white
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup chopped pistachios 
• 4-5 black mission figs, stemmed and quartered

Instructions

1. 1
   Line a muffin tin with liners and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, spread out the wheat bran. Bake for 5-7 minutes, until lightly toasted. 
2. 2
   In a large bowl, mix together the toasted wheat bran, yogurt, water, orange zest, honey, fig jam and light brown sugar. Next, add the vegetable oil, large egg and egg white; mix until combined. 
3. 3
   Place a sifter or sieve atop the large bowl. Add the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Sift the ingredients into the wet ingredients and throw in the chopped pistachios; mix until just combined, being sure to not over mix. (Over mixing will over develop the gluten, resulting in tough muffins.) 
4. 4
   Spoon the batter into the muffin liners, filling them about 3/4 of the way full. Top with a one or a few slices of quartered black mission figs. Transfer to the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, and until the muffins look and feel set. Allow to cool for 5 minutes in the muffin tins and then remove and cool on a cooling rack.