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Photo:Nathan Congleton/NBCUniversal via Getty Images
Nathan Congleton/NBCUniversal via Getty Images
Ina Gartenis best known for her unabashed love of butter and heavy cream. So it might surprise you to learn that one of my go-to healthy make-ahead breakfasts is herBlueberry Bran Muffinrecipe. These blueberry-bran muffins check all the right boxes for me. They’re wholesome yet satisfying, quick and easy to make, bake up with an impressive dome and are a great way to smuggle someextra fiberandantioxidantsinto my family’s diet. I make a batch every few weeks, so I always have a fiber-rich breakfast or snack on hand.
How to Make Ina’s Blueberry Muffins
With a simple ingredient list featuring nutrient-dense ingredients likeGreek yogurt,blueberriesand wheat bran (which also happens to offer this surprisingdigestion-friendly benefit!), these muffins come together with minimal effort in about 40 minutes (including baking time).
First things first: get your oven preheated to 350°F and brush the top of a muffin pan with some vegetable oil so the muffins don’t stick. Fill each cavity with paper liners, if you’ve got them. I prefer to just grease the muffin tin really well with butter or baking spray.
In a medium bowl, stir together the dry ingredients, including the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. Then, in a large bowl, whisk together the oil, yogurt, sugar, honey, eggs and vanilla until everything is well combined. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and stir again until everythingjustcomes together—you don’t want to overmix. Finally, fold in the stars of the show—the wheat bran and blueberries. The batter will be nice and thick with gorgeous pops of purple from the berries.
Fill each muffin cup about three-quarters full with batter. An ice cream scoop makes easy work of this, and the portioning is A-plus! Then pop them in the oven to bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let them cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then dig in and enjoy a couple while they’re still warm!
Once the rest of the muffins are completely cool, transfer them to an airtight container. They’ll keep at room temperature for a couple of days or in the fridge for a few more. We always warm them in the microwave and spread a little butter or a peanut butter drizzle over the top.
What Makes Ina’s Recipe a Favorite
Besides Ina’s seal of approval, what drew me to this recipe was its quick prep time and whole-food ingredient list. Unlike most bran muffin recipes that use bran cereal, these muffins get a punch of fiber from wheat bran (just like theseBanana-Bran Muffins, which I also love). This is a big selling point for me because unless you’re explicitly searching, it can be hard to find bran muffin recipes that aren’t made with cereal.
The honey’s sweetness is perfectly balanced, the muffins are moist with a hearty, nutty base from the bran, and pockets of jammy blueberries provide refreshing bursts of flavor in every other bite. It’s an all-around texture and flavor combo that feels simultaneously indulgent and virtuous. Hip, hip! Practically speaking, they’re also fast and easy to prep, endlessly adaptable and store really well. Plus, my kids love them.
Make-Ahead Tips and Tasty Variations
The Bottom Line
There’s something super satisfying about presenting these rustic, cozy muffins to my family on a lazy weekend morning and knowing I’ve got more for quick grab-and-go breakfasts and snacks for the days ahead. Lucky for me, they’re a total crowd-pleaser across all ages and nutritious enough to be a regular part of my make-ahead breakfast rotation. Easy, versatile, freezer- and kid-friendly—what more could a busy mom need or want?
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