I have never been a fan of banana bread. It's too...banana-y, too dense, too oily.... Do I sound picky yet? So when I came across a recipe in my EatingWell cookbook a few years ago, I wasn't thrilled about trying it. It is a super healthy variation on banana muffins, and because EatingWell has so many awesome recipes, I did give it a try. It immediately became a favorite for my children, so whenever I have two ripe bananas lying around these are usually made for breakfast. Surprisingly, I even enjoy them! You can check out the original recipe for Banana-Bran Muffins, or for an even healthier version, try mine!
100% Whole Grain Banana-Chocolate Chip Muffins
Stir together in a large mixing bowl:
1 3/4 cups whole wheat PASTRY flour
1 cup unprocessed wheat bran
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate)
1/2 cup turbinado sugar
1/3 cup chopped walnuts or hazelnuts, optional (toasted=even better!)
Whisk together in a measuring cup:
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
You can stop here, covering the wet ingredients and refrigerating until the next morning, preparing the pan, and setting your oven on its Delay-Start mode (I would never bake breakfast foods if I didn't pre-measure things the night before).
Mash 2 large, ripe bananas (1 cup). Stir into the buttermilk mixture and pour into the dry ingredients. Stir just until combined, being careful not to over-mix (this will result in tough muffins, as the gluten gets more developed the more you stir, mix, etc.).
Divide between 12 greased or papered muffin cups and bake for 17-20 minutes.
Notes on ingredients/substitutions:
The tiny bit of chocolate makes children (and adults) feel like they're getting a treat, even though the amount is minimal. You could substitute applesauce for some of the oil, but with the banana it produces a very wet muffin. This is my favorite version of the recipe, and I have tried many different ways of making them! The sugar could even be reduced to 1/4 cup, but keep in mind that the granules in turbinado sugar are very large (making it seem like you're using more than you actually are), and if you're expecting a sweetly balanced breakfast bread you may be disappointed with the reduction.
100% Whole Grain Banana-Chocolate Chip Muffins
Stir together in a large mixing bowl:
1 3/4 cups whole wheat PASTRY flour
1 cup unprocessed wheat bran
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate)
1/2 cup turbinado sugar
1/3 cup chopped walnuts or hazelnuts, optional (toasted=even better!)
Whisk together in a measuring cup:
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
You can stop here, covering the wet ingredients and refrigerating until the next morning, preparing the pan, and setting your oven on its Delay-Start mode (I would never bake breakfast foods if I didn't pre-measure things the night before).
Mash 2 large, ripe bananas (1 cup). Stir into the buttermilk mixture and pour into the dry ingredients. Stir just until combined, being careful not to over-mix (this will result in tough muffins, as the gluten gets more developed the more you stir, mix, etc.).
Divide between 12 greased or papered muffin cups and bake for 17-20 minutes.
Notes on ingredients/substitutions:
The tiny bit of chocolate makes children (and adults) feel like they're getting a treat, even though the amount is minimal. You could substitute applesauce for some of the oil, but with the banana it produces a very wet muffin. This is my favorite version of the recipe, and I have tried many different ways of making them! The sugar could even be reduced to 1/4 cup, but keep in mind that the granules in turbinado sugar are very large (making it seem like you're using more than you actually are), and if you're expecting a sweetly balanced breakfast bread you may be disappointed with the reduction.
Made these yesterday - they are a huge hit! Just the right size, just the right amount of chocolate (okay, I added an extra 1/4 C.!). Great for breakfast and dessert. I also sprinkled on a few unsweetened coconut flakes on the muffins prior to baking, which I thought added a subtly nice, toasted flavor.
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