Oat Bran Muffins

Sick of the same old cereal or oatmeal every single morning? That's how we feel around here sometimes too. And eggs or pancakes don't always hit the spot either (unless you're Ezra or Caroline who would eat pancakes every morning). I am a serious muffin-lover and have several recipes I like to rotate in and out. There are two favorites though, that will never leave the rotation--oatmeal blueberry (Thank you K Lamb for giving that recipe to my mom back when I was 8) and bran. Bran muffins seem like such a warm and healthy start to a cold winter morning. The bran muffin recipe I have is such a large recipe that we never ever finish them all. Even when I freeze them the last bag or two always get lost in the freezer and shrink into freezer burned discs of dough. Since granola is also something I love to make fresh and eat as a snack or breakfast, I keep oat bran on hand. A few months ago after making a batch of granola the recipes on the side of my oat bran box caught my eye. Why not try "applesauce oat bran muffins"???? So I did. And they were wonderful! The recipe only makes a dozen, perfect for two mornings worth of breakfast and a mid-afternoon snack or two. Using applesauce in the recipe allows for adding less sugar. It also keeps the muffins moist as can be. The oat bran I happen to buy is the "Hodgson Mill" brand. This is their recipe. The only changes I have made so far are to add some chopped apple (if I have time) for texture and extra flavor and to put a dash of cinnamon on top of the muffins before baking.


Yum! Always puts Tadd in an extra good mood to have a hot healthy muffin waiting for him on his way out the door to go with his home roasted and brewed coffee. A little of our favorite yogurt from Trader Joe's goes down wonderfully with muffins. By the way, oat bran is very high in fiber and folic acid.



A breakfast fit even for a princess--so crowned by her brother. The crown was broken about two minutes after this photo. The brother decided he wanted to be the princess and a fight broke out. Now no one can be princess--the Queen threw away the broken pieces!


Also, these cookies pictured below are going to be my destruction. They are my newest best friend/worst enemy. Thanks so much to my sister-in-law Megan for introducing us. SOOOO delicious! I mean, come on, shortbread and dark chocolate!!!! What's not to love???? I keep going back and forth between wishing I had purchased three extra boxes and thinking I shouldn't have even bought the one : )


One of these bad boys will undo all the good those oat bran muffins did for sure!