So part of my love for nutrition is always looking for ways to make meals and treats taste good but be better for you, meaning more nutrient density, vitamins and minerals, all the good stuff, while minimizing the not-so-great stuff.
HOWEVER....
This is one recipe that I have kept true to traditional baking, ie haven't subbed any flour for protein powder and I used things like sugar and butter. OH YES BABY! Why? Because sometime you want the REAL thing!! And if you currently live like you "can't eat these things because ....[insert whatever crazy diet rule you're following]" then we need to chat.
I am a firm believer that you can eat ANYTHING you want. I said it, and I mean it. Does this mean you SHOULD eat anything you want, in any quantity, all the time? Heck no!
But if you eat in a way that nourishes your body MOST of the time, ie 80-90% of the time, that final 10-20% should be about flexibility and pure enjoyment. Obviously this also depends on your goals. But the way I eat, and the way I coach my clients to eat is that we always leave wiggle room for things we love and can't live without.
So this is one of those recipes and treats. We LOVE these muffins, and I feel like I've perfected this recipe because we've made it at least a hundred times. And while I'll share some substitutions and things you can do to switch things up based on your goals and dietary needs, I encourage you to just try it as it is, and then tell me what you think!
It may become your go-to, sweet little treat for the whole fam! Be sure to leave a comment below if you make them - I wanna know how much you guys loved them :D
Enjoy!
The BEST Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
Prep Time: 15min | Bake Time: 25-30min | Total Time: 40-45min
Makes: 15-16 muffins
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose baking flour*
3/4 cup brown sugar
4 bananas, mashed
2 eggs*
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted*
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of sea salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts*
1 cup dark chocolate chips, reserving a handful to place on top of muffins
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare muffin tins with silicone cups or disposable paper cups.
Using a hand mixer, cream butter and sugar until smooth. Then beat in the eggs, then bananas and vanilla extract.
Add flour half a cup at a time and mix until just combined. With the last half cup flour, add cinnamon and soda, mixing until just combined.
Using a large spoon, add in chocolate chips and walnuts, stirring until combined.
Fill muffin cups 3/4 full, and place a few of the reserved chocolate chips on top. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until muffins are golden on top and a toothpick comes out clean.
Let muffins sit for 10 minutes before removing from the muffin tin, and continue cooling on a wire rack. Enjoy warm or completely cooled - YUM!
*NOTES:
MAKE IT GLUTEN-FREE: choose a brand like Bob's Red Mill for a gluten-free baking flour subsitution. It works just like the gluten-full stuff!
MAKE IT EGG-FREE: use a flax egg replacer. 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons water = 1 egg.
MAKE IT DAIRY-FREE: choose a dairy-free butter alternative like Daiya brand.
MAKE IT NUT-FREE: swap walnuts for sunflower or pumpkin seeds.
WEIGHT/FAT-LOSS GOAL: use 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup chocolate chips and 3 bananas to decrease the overall caloric content and sugar.
