Healthy Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

It’s a snow day here in Central Illinois! Well, technically it’s a Saturday, so I wouldn’t have had to work anyway, but Brent’s work closed due to snow, so we are both home all day, which rarely ever happens! I don’t know about you, but snow days make me want to cuddle up, marathon Netflix, and bake something sweet and delicious. So I thought it’d be a great day to share the recipe for these healthy chocolate chip banana muffins that I made last weekend!

These muffins turned out so soft, fluffy, and delicious you would never guess that they are about as healthy as a muffin can be! We have been grabbing them to eat for snacks all week long and even Brent says the recipe is a keeper!

Sprouted Grain Banana Muffins

I originally came across this healthy banana muffin recipe from Cookie + Kate and did some tweaking of my own. Yet, as I browsed her website I found so many whole food recipes that I can’t wait to try!

One of the biggest changes I made to the original recipe is substituting the white whole wheat flour for sprouted wheat flour. Sprouted grains are supposed to be higher in nutrients, easier to digest, and lower in gluten, among other health benefits. I don’t know all of the technicalities behind sprouted grains, but I’ve had doctors advise them and I’ve read some great articles on reasons to add sprouted grains to your diet. In the past, the sprouted bread I always heard about was Ezkiel Bread and I have to say, I’m not a fan. Luckily, I’ve found some other sprouted grain products that I absolutely love including this low fat sprouted grain bread, this sprouted whole grain wheat bread, this sprouted whole grain pizza crust, and this sprouted whole grain wheat flour, which is what I used for this recipe. If you live locally, you can find all of these sprouted grain products at Fresh Thyme in Bloomington, IL.

With that being said, the original recipe used whole wheat flour and I’m sure they would turn out just as wonderful! You can also substitute the honey for pure maple syrup, which I think I will try next time just to switch things up. Feel free to leave out the dark chocolate chips to make the muffins even healthier. I’m a big fan of chocolate chips in any banana recipe, so I couldn’t resist! I did end up with some extra muffin batter, so I decided to make mini muffins with the leftovers and I absolutely loved them! Next time I think I will do a whole pan of mini banana chocolate chip muffins and less of the full sized.

Sprouted Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 25 min | Total Time: 35 min | Yield: 12 muffins

INGREDIENTS

• ⅓ cup melted coconut oil
• ½ cup honey (or maple syrup)
• 2 eggs, preferably at room temperature
• 1 cup packed mashed ripe bananas (about 3 bananas)
• ¼ cup milk (can substitute almond milk or water)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon, plus more for sprinkling on top
• 1 ¾ cups sprouted whole wheat flour (or regular whole wheat flour)
• ⅓ cup old-fashioned oats, plus more for sprinkling on top
• ¾ cup dark chocolate chips (be sure to use DF if necessary)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (165 degrees Celsius). I used a non-stick pan and it worked pretty well, but I think next time I will use a little butter or spray olive oil.
2. In a large bowl, beat the coconut oil and honey together with a whisk. Add the eggs and beat well. Mix in the mashed bananas and milk, followed by the baking soda, vanilla extract, salt and cinnamon.
3. Add the flour and oats to the bowl and mix with a large spoon, just until combined. Fold in the dark chocolate chips (or substitute with nuts or leave out completely).
4. Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups, filling each cup about two-thirds full. Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with a small amount of oats. Bake muffins for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.
5. Place the muffin tin on a cooling rack to cool. You might need to run a butter knife along the outer edge of the muffins to loosen them from the pan. These muffins will keep at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. They keep well in the freezer in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months (just defrost individual muffins as needed, about 30-60 seconds in microwave).

Did you make this recipe or have a question?

I would love to hear how this recipe turned out for you! Did you have any fun mix-ins that you tried? Or maybe you made a substitution that turned out awesome! Please leave a comment below for others to see and share your pictures on Instagram with the hashtag #meganleeanne