When we were little, our dad used to sing us the "do you know the muffin man?" song on weekend mornings. He also used to feed us hot buttered English muffins quite a bit too. Coincidence? I think not.
As a result, I favor a muffin every now and again (more now then again). Before we get started here, let me level with you first: I would pick nearly any muffin type over bran -- I mean bran is only several letters from bland, but realizing I was being a little bit of a hater, I gave these a try.
They're healthy, nourishing, and moist. You won't mistake these for cupcakes, which you shouldn't do if it's a good muffin. A muffin is a delicious thing in its own right! Halved and toasted a day later with some apple butter would also do you good.
Bran Muffins
Adapted from The Essential Vegetarian Cookbook
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups wheat bran
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
2 egg whites
1 cup buttermilk or yogurt
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Beat together the brown sugar, molasses, egg whites, and buttermilk or yogurt. Add the dry ingredients and stir together until just combined. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the tops are firm and a knife inserted comes out clean. Cool on a rack. Bring some to friends!