"Bran" Muffins

So, friends: what do you think about this Paleo eating trend?  I cut pasta and bread out of my meals for a few months this year (except when I was really craving it), and I noticed a significant difference in how I looked and felt.  But who knows if it was really that that made the difference.  Thoughts?

Anyway, while in that phase, I found some good and not-so-good recipes that don't have gluten or are very low-carb or even "paleo", and here is one of them.  It somehow does have the flavor and texture of a bran muffin.  My Costco sells blanched almond flour, and I think you can order from costco.com, if you're interested.  In some recipes it tastes very much of marzipan, which I hate, but in this recipe the other flavors mask it.  I have tweaked the recipe, but the original is here.

Bran Muffins

• ½ cup blanched almond flour
• ½ cup  flax meal
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 6 dates
• 3 eggs
• 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 3/4 cup raisins

1. In a large bowl combine almond flour, flax meal, baking soda and salt
2. In a vitamix blend dates, eggs, oil and water on high speed until very smooth
3. Mix wet ingredients into dry, then stir in sesame seeds, sunflower seeds and raisins
4. Spoon batter into lined muffin pan; muffins will puff only slightly
5. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes
6. Cool and serve