When was the last time you had a slice of homemade bread? If you had to think about it for more than 3 seconds, it’s been too long. It’s the season for making hearty, warm meals, and homemade bread adds to every meal. Something about the cooling season reminds me of playing games with my family in the evenings and drinking hot chocolate.

I made some soup in my crockpot, and wanted some bread to go with it. So I made French Bread for the first time ever. It turned out so much better than I ever could have expected. (I ate half a loaf in one evening with butter and fresh apricot jam. It was the best meal I’d eaten in months. Not that I haven’t eaten good food, but it was so delicious I just couldn’t stop.)

It was easier than I expected to make it. In fact, I made another batch last night. The hardest part is waiting for the dough to rise. But it’s so worth it. If you have a few hours and feel like baking, I highly recommend Yummy French Bread.

Homemade French Bread About to Go In the Oven

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Homemade French Bread Just Out of the Oven

A few months ago I moved to a new apartment that’s just down the block and across the street from Starbucks. All that yummy chai-ness just a short walk away. This dramatically increased my pre-work stops for Tall Chai Lattes. And I have no will power when it comes to pastries so I’d also get one of their apple bran muffins (bran is healthy, right?).

It was the perfect breakfast. Tasty pastry and drink, and it always filled me up for hours. Normally I’d eat breakfast and then feel hungry just a couple hours later. But this combo kept me full until lunch.

But the good times couldn’t last. It’s just too expensive to spend $5 a couple times a week on something I knew wasn’t too healthy for me. No matter how much I enjoy them, chunks of buttery-sugar-apple-crumble are just not good for me. Fortunately I had one of those realizations that seems so obvious it’s hard to believe I didn’t think of it 10 years ago- I could make my own bran muffins! (And so can you!)

That day I found a great muffin recipe on my favorite recipe website – allrecipes.com (note: read the comments under the recipe for GREAT ideas.). I’ve altered it slightly, and I want to share it with you. Everyone who’s tried the muffins has loved them. Plus, they’re super healthy.

Erin’s “Better Than Starbucks” Bran muffins

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cups wheat bran (Fiber One cereal)
• 1 cup milk & 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1/3 cup applesauce
• 1 egg
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup wholewheat flour
• 2 tbsp. ground flaxseed
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1 1/2 peeled, chunked granny smith apples
• cinnamon/spices to taste

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.
2. Mix together milk and lemon, then mix into wheat bran; let stand for 10 minutes.
3. Beat together applesauce, egg, sugar and vanilla and add to milk/bran mixture. Sift together flour, flaxseed, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices. Stir flour mixture into milk mixture, until just blended. Fold in cranberries and apple chunks and spoon batter into prepared muffin tins.
4. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool and enjoy!

Try it and let me know what you think!