How about some whole grain goodness that kids and adults will both enjoy? Trust me, you will never discard those blackened bananas sitting on your counter again. Old bananas, meet your match: these muffins will blow your mind. Who said healthy can bet tasty?
Freeze overripe bananas and defrost them when you’re ready to make these yummy, portable treats. Bring on the banana nut muffins!
Whole grain, fruit-packed and containing half the sugar and fat of so-called “healthy” muffins – You’ll never know these delicious treats are nutritious, too.
Healthy and Happy Banana Nut Muffins
A great portable snack for hungry kids – or a fast breakfast for ravenous parents
Ingredients:
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs
3 large bananas, very ripe
1/3 cup plain 0% Greek yogurt
1 tsp. good vanilla extract
2 tsp. almond extract
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. fine salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
2 tsp cardamom
1/3 cup halved pecans, roasted
Muffin cups
Preparation:
1.) Preheat oven to 350°. Place a sixteen muffin cups in muffin pans.
In a food processor, pulse (wet ingredients) bananas, yogurt, vanilla, sugar and butter until completely blended. Then, add eggs and pulse until combined.
On top of blended (wet) ingredients, place all flour, baking powder and soda, salt, all spices and nuts. Pulse until combined and nuts are in small pieces. Do not over mix.
2.)Use an ice-cream scoop to place batter into muffin cups.
3.) Bake for 20 minutes on center oven rack or until toothpick inserted in the muffin comes out clean. Cool in muffin tins for five minutes and then place on wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar or drizzle with honey, if desired. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or freeze for a go-to breakfast. I’ll bet that you can’t eat just one of these pillows of banana bliss.
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©Shanna Koenigsdorf Ward, shannaward.com (2013), unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without expressed and written permission from this blog’s author, Shanna Koenigsdorf Ward, and/or owner is strictly and completely prohibited.
Curls and carrots 
The recipe looks fabulous!!! I’ll definitely try to bake it, too!!! 🙂
Really like the idea of blending vanilla with almond extracts + roasted pecans to boot! Super Nutty banana nut muffins!
Thank you, Maria. Let me know what you think!
Cynthia, thank you for the lovely comment. I hope that you enjoy them as much as I do!
This recipe looks wonderful. I love the ingredients – whole wheat flour, non fat yogurt and all those spices. We have delicious “apple bananas here in Hawaii. They are sweet-tart and will work well in this recipe. Thank you!
Thank you, Kiyo! Such lovely compliments. I hope that you give the recipe a try. The apple-banana fruit sounds delicious! I have read that there are more than 1,200 varieties of bananas, most being much more flavorful than the typical type available in the mainland U.S.A. You have so many amazing fruits and vegetables available in Hawaii – you must be quite the produce connoisseur!
I love the addition of cardamon. It’s high time I stocked some in my pantry. and the nuts make it even more tasty. Thanks for sharing and have a great weekend!
Thank you so much for your warm comments. Speaking of which – I hope your weather is still improving. I appreciate the visit; enjoy your weekend.