Healthier Blueberry Pecan Bran Muffins

Healthier Blueberry Pecan Bran Muffins are nothing like those heavy bran muffins you’ve had before!  They’re moist, light, and bursting with blueberries.  They’re so good it’s hard to believe they’re healthy!

I’m feeling that spring is on the horizon.  We’ve had about a week and a half of gorgeous weather and AAACHOOO! — the pollen is definitely in the air.  I have hay fever, and it’s been flaring up big time already.  I love the blossoms on the trees and the green hills, so it’s a small price to pay.  I know the rain is coming back, so there will be some reprieve for me!

These Healthier Blueberry Pecan Bran Muffins help me keep that spring-like feeling without the sneezing.  I told you that I’ve missed my fresh blueberries when I posted this Blueberry Oat Smoothie and that still holds true.  I put the frozen blueberries back in action again for these muffins — they’re such a lifesaver!

A berry big lifesaver.  (sorry)

I actually perfected this recipe months ago before Christmas time, but it wasn’t the right time to post them.  Nobody is looking for blueberry muffins during the holidays and I didn’t want them to get lost in the crowd because they’re amazing.  So amazing that my youngest son proclaimed them the best muffins I’ve ever made.  WOW…that’s a big proclamation right there, because I’ve made lots of muffins in my time. 🙂

The inspiration for these muffins came from the blueberry bran muffins at La Boulange cafe, which has since closed all of its stores in my area.  It’s probably best, because every time I was anywhere near there, their blueberry bran muffins called my name.  And I know they couldn’t be as healthy as the ones I’ve made for you.

I’ve totally got your back.

These muffins give you the best of both worlds — a nice, light healthier muffin that has bran, but not so much that it weighs you down.  Bran muffins can be so heavy, but not these guys.  They’re just perfect.

The pecans give these a nice, toasty crunch with flavor that compliments the blueberries perfectly.  While they’re optional for some, they’re never optional for me…these muffins just aren’t the same without them.

I’m thinking there’s no way these muffins will get lost in the crowd now, since spring is on the horizon!  We’ve missed our berries haven’t we?  Here’s to an early taste of spring, and all the sneezing that goes along with it. 🙂

Healthier Blueberry Pecan Bran Muffins

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

30 mins

 

Healthier Blueberry Pecan Bran Muffins are nothing like those heavy bran muffins you've had before! They're moist, light, and bursting with blueberries. They're so good it's hard to believe they're healthy!

Author: Flavor the Moments

Serves: 12 muffins

Ingredients

• 1¼ cup + 1 tablespoon whole wheat white flour, divided
• ½ cup wheat bran (such as Bob's Red Mill)
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
• ⅓ cup canola oil
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup skim milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup blueberries (thawed slightly if frozen)
• ⅓ cup pecan pieces

Instructions

1. Preaheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a standard muffin pan with paper liners and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the 1¼ cup flour, wheat bran, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt until combined. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, vigorously whisk the brown sugar, oil, and eggs until frothy, then whisk in the milk and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until the flour is almost incorporated. Toss the blueberries with the 1 tablespoon of flour until coated, then fold gently into the batter being careful not to over mix.
4. Divide the batter evenly between the (12) muffin cups and sprinkle with the pecan pieces over the tops. Bake on the center rack of the oven for about 15 minutes or until the top of the muffins spring back when pressed gently with your finger. Remove from heat and cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove the muffins from the pan and cool completely. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Recipe by Flavor the Moments.

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