Blueberry Bran Muffins

When I attended grad school in Virginia, our morning classes took a break around 9:00 a.m., and a group of us would walk over to the brick commissary to grab coffee and an enormous blueberry muffin. I didn’t bat an eye at eating such an indulgence almost weekly, and saw it more as the norm. Oh, to be 23 again. Nearly ten years later I not only consider them a treat, but when eaten, they tend to feel like a diversion from my goals. On the flip side, I can’t say I have salacious bran muffin cravings, but when I saw the Blueberry Bran Muffins in Ina Garten’s new “Make it Ahead”, I knew I had to give them a try. They’re made with significantly less sugar and flour, replaced instead with honey and plenty of wheat bran. They turned out moist and flavorful, thanks to greek yogurt, and are bursting with juicy blueberries. I found that eating just one with a side of fruit and yogurt is a grown-up, satisfying treat indeed.

Blueberry Bran Muffins
Adapted from Make it Ahead, by Ina Garten
Prep time: 20 mins / Bake time: 22 mins
Yield: 18 muffins

½ cup vegetable oil
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
7 ounces Greek-style yogurt (about 1 cup)
½ cup sugar
½ cup honey
2 extra-large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 ½ cups wheat bran
1½ cups fresh blueberries (8 ounces)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin pan with 12 paper liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon.

In large bowl, lightly whisk the two eggs, then add the yogurt, sugar, vegetable oil, honey, and vanilla until combined. Add the dry ingredients, stirring with a wooden spoon or spatula, just until incorporated. Add in the wheat bran and stir until incorporated. Add the blueberries and gently combine until evenly distributed.

Place one scoop of batter into the muffin cups using a large ice cream scoop. Bake for 22 to 30 minutes, until the tops are a golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for several minutes and serve warm or at room temperature. Store refrigerated once cooled, will keep for several days.