Bran muffins make a great breakfast because they contain 3 grams of fiber, which will keep you full. The star ingredient is bran, which is the hard outer layer of grain, a by-product of processed wheat and oats. Wheat bran is high in protein, magnesium, manganese, niacin, phosphorus, zinc and vitamin B6, and is low in fat, with no cholesterol, and no sugar or sodium.

Store-bought bran muffins taste good but are loaded with oil and calories. When so-called healthy muffins leave grease on your fingers, that's never a good thing.

I got this recipe for Top-Notch Bran Muffins from the back of the Kretschmer Toasted Wheat Bran jar. (You can find bran in the cereal aisle of your grocery store, usually on a top shelf.) I made them on Monday night and they are so tasty, I've already eaten three (today is Wednesday!). Oops. The best part is that these muffins contain only 170 calories and 5 grams of fat per muffin. And they don't leave grease on your fingers.

Top-Notch Bran Muffins

1 1/4 cups flour

1 cup toasted wheat bran

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

1/4 cup molasses or honey

1/4 cup oil

1 egg

3/4 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease or line muffin tins.

Combine dry ingredients. Combine wet ingredients. Add wet to dry until

moistened. Stir in raisins.

Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake 20-22 minutes or until brown. Makes 12 muffins.