As registered dietitians we realize how much our mom was really onto something–for the first few years of our life, one of the only desserts we knew was the one our mom gave us– “Banana Mush.” it was simple and easy– mashed ripe banana–the same healthy dessert we have since given our own kids! And now as we try to help our clients to keep their waistline trim, satisfy their sweet tooth and also keep their kids’ sugar consumption low, we see once again our mom was right—fruit can truly be a healthy, viable option to sugar. In fact we love the power of the banana—it helps to create so many scrumptious desserts without having to add any sugar. We were so excited when we made these Banana Oat Muffins—no sugar added! Our kids keep choosing it as their choice dessert—even beating out their favorite gummy cherries!
OK, here’s the scoop that will keep you so happy as you enjoy these muffins and serve them to your family! First, they’re totally healthy. For only 96 calories per muffin, you can enjoy them and still feel good in your skinny jeans. These muffins stay moist and indulgent-tasting without the addition of any fat or oil. Simple, healthy swaps of applesauce and Greek yogurt do the trick! And what about the perfect balance of sweetness? Surprise- as we said no sugar is added to these scrumptious muffins. The right amount of sweetness comes from just- ripened bananas. Forget white flour, too. These muffins are made with whole wheat flour and oats, so you get more nutritional bang for your buck! These are muffins you just can’t find in the bakery case at the local coffee shop (and you wouldn’t want to—those are typically loaded with fat, sugar, and calories). Whip these muffins up, and your kids will never know they aren’t getting sugar!
Banana Bread Muffins
Makes 12 muffins
Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup oats
1 egg
2 bananas
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
3/4 cup plain, non-fat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 tsp cinamon
1 tsp baking powder
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix all of the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg, and add the wet ingredients.
Combine wet and dry ingredients until well incorporated.
Mash the bananas until smooth, with some small chunks remaining.
Fold the bananas into the muffin batter.
Place batter into lined muffin tin, filling each muffin liner about 2/3rds
Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Enjoy!
Nutrition facts per muffin:
96 Calories 17 g carbs 4.6 g protein .7 g fat 3.5 g sugar 2.6 g fiber
