It’s time for another round of me gushing about how much I love someone on the internet. Aren’t you glad we do this? If you haven’t heard of Heidi Swanson from 101 Cookbooks, I am here to tell you everything. Her food is so very important to me. I discovered her recipes when I moved to California, and have been cooking weekly from her books ever since. Heidi taught me what refined, simple, local cooking really is. In fact, I hold Heidi on the same level as Alice Waters–without her, the food scene in our country wouldn’t be the same. Heidi is a sort of idol to me. And not just because of this best bran muffin recipe. Her food is 100% vegetarian; you should know this. The thing about most vegetarian recipes is that something is noticeably missing on the plate. But, not with Heidi’s recipes; the meat is never missed. A vegetable or whole grain is the star of the dish, no apologies needed. While her website is a gem, her books are old standbys in my kitchen. We cook out of them weekly. Her Otsu recipe from her book Super Natural Cooking is almost a weekly occurrence in our house. Her whole grain pancakes from Super Natural Everyday are always tripled and stacked in the freezer for quick weekday breakfasts. The Saag Paneer recipe in Near and Far was the first thing I made from the book, and have been making it ever since. She makes good-for-you food taste incredible.
Onto the best bran muffin recipe:
Today, I want to talk about her best bran muffin recipe. Her bran muffins have found a home in my Mom’s Southern kitchen, which says a lot. Bran muffins can be boring, dense and dry. Heidi’s are not; they have incredible soft texture and an addicting taste. If you try them, I know they will find a permanent place in your recipe folder, and Heidi will soon become your go-to girl for healthy, inspiring recipes. In fact, when people ask me how I stay thin while baking and eating desserts all the time, I think the answer is that I cook Heidi’s recipes. She is the yin to my yang; the coconut-kale salad to my mini chocolate eclair; the satisfying vegetarian grain salad to my mini chocolate cake for dessert. She’s kinda my everything. Love that chick!
