Finals week begins this Wednesday. It may be crazy because I know that I have an immense amount of studying to do for five finals but I am actually really excited. I’m excited because in a little more than a week I can officially say I am half way through my senior year! In some ways time has flown by so quickly since I first stepped foot on campus as a freshman in 2009 and in other ways it seems like an eternity ago. So, knowing that I am going to have incredibly little down-time this coming week, I decided to make a delicious and nutritious batch of muffins to eat for a quick and easy breakfast with yogurt or as an afternoon/evening snack.
I went searching for a banana muffin recipe because, despite my aversion to fresh bananas, I really enjoy them in baked goods (especially banana bread). I chose a recipe that combined the classic flavor of banana with a hint of peanut butter for extra staying power, flavor and protein. Also, instead of the usual canola oil, this recipe calls for greek yogurt and used part whole-wheat flour. Perfect (well almost perfect, perfect requires a small handful of chocolate chips stirred into the batter before baking).
Peanut Butter Banana Muffins (slightly adapted from here; makes a dozen muffins)
- 2 ripe bananas
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/3 cup peanut butter
- 2/3 cup plain greek yogurt
- 1 t vanilla
- 1 t baking soda
- 1 t baking powder
- 1/4 t salt
- 1/2 t cinnamon
- 1/4 C sugar
- 1 C all-purpose flour
- 3/4 C whole-wheat flour
- chocolate chips, cinnamon sugar for topping (optional)
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line muffin tins with baking cups and lightly spray with canola oil.
Mix the wet ingredients together–mashed banana, honey, peanut butter, yogurt, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flours, salt, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and cinnamon).
Add the wet and dry together and stir until just combined. If desired, fold in about 1/4 cup of chocolate chips.
Spoon the batter into the muffin tin until the cups are 3/4 full, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, and bake on the middle rack in the oven for 15-20 minutes.
These muffins are delicious. They have all the right flavors and retain their moistness without the addition of a lot of fat and they reheat really well. I have a feeling I am going to be munching on them a lot this next week. Here’s to muffin munching brain power!
candacecraves 