Instead of throwing away your overripe bananas, you can use them to create a nourishing and comforting muffin featuring whole wheat flour, dates and applesauce. When served with plain, low-fat yogurt and fresh fruit, healthy banana muffins make a complete meal that will hold you all morning. The muffins also make a healthy snack, especially if you spread them with a bit of natural peanut butter to add protein.
Ingredients
Healthy banana muffins use a combination of 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour and ½ cup of white flour. Using only whole wheat flour will make the texture of the muffins too dense and may add a bitter taste. Instead of using granulated sugar, include 1/2 cup of sucanot, a less-processed form of cane sugar. You will also need 1 tsp. baking powder, 1/2 tsp. baking soda, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. nutmeg and 1/2 tsp. salt. The wet ingredients for healthy banana bread muffins include two large eggs, 1 cup mashed, overripe banana and 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce, which is a non-fat stand-in for butter or oil. You may also add 1/2 cup chopped dates, which will add moisture and sweetness to the baked muffins.
Method
Like most muffins, healthy banana bread muffins require you to mix together all the dry ingredients in one bowl and all the wet ingredients in a separate bowl. To combine the two mixes, you make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. You then add in any other ingredients, such as the dates, and mix until just combined. Overbeating will result in a tough muffin. These muffins do best in baking pans lined with cupcake wrappers. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. The recipe makes 12 muffins.
Nutrition
One muffin provides 162 calories, 1 g of fat, 4 g of protein and 37 g of carbohydrates. Each muffin offers 3 g of fiber. The muffins are a source of vitamin C and most of the B complex of vitamins. One muffin has 48 mg of calcium, 32 mg of magnesium and 85 mg of phosphorus to support bone health. One muffin also provides 1.2 mg of iron, or about 6 percent of the daily value based on a 2,000-calorie diet. The bananas in the recipe make these muffins a high source of potassium, with 238 mg each.
Variations
Add 1/2 cup chopped walnuts to the batter if you like nuts. Walnuts add healthy unsaturated fats, especially omega-3 fatty acids that protect against heart disease and support brain function. If you are a sucker for chocolate, stir 1/2 cup of mini dark chocolate chips into the batter before filling the muffin tins. Dark chocolate contains antioxidants. The mini chips distribute throughout the batter more readily than regular-sized versions, so you can use less and still get plenty of chocolate flavor without a huge increase in calories.
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