Chunky Monkey Muffins

As you know, I have a thing for muffins. My kids love them, I love them, and my husband loves them (because they are fast and easy to grab on his way to work). They work for breakfast, lunch, snacks and even dinner (because breakfast for dinner is always a hit to switch things up a bit). I was introduced to this "type" of muffin in a gluten-free version and it looked so yummy, I wanted to find a "regular" version. This is what I have come up with. We LOVE it!! I hope you do too.

Of course, we have Mickey muffin tins!!

Chunky Monkey Muffins

1/2 cup sugar (or raw sugar)
2 eggs *
1 Tbsp vanilla
4 bananas, mashed
3/4 cups buttermilk (I have used regular milk and almond milk with great success)
1 cup butter, melted (or 6 oz. coconut oil, melted)
1 3/4 cups wonder flour **
1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour (or regular whole wheat too)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp cinnamon
1 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened
1 cup chocolate chips (or 1/2 cup chocolate chips and 1/2 cup cinnamon chips)
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cream together sugar and wet ingredients (eggs through butter). * If you would like to replace the eggs in this recipe, I would use 1/3 cup applesauce for 1 egg and 1 Tbsp ground flax mixed with 3 Tbsp water (let sit until it gels) for the second egg. 

Mix in dry ingredients. ** If you are using a different whole grain flour than wonder flour, cut the amount back to    1 1/2 cups. Fold in the shredded coconut and chocolate chips.

Line or spray muffin tins. Scoop batter into muffin tins and fill 3/4 full. If using chopped nuts, sprinkle on top of the batter.

Bake for about 20 minutes. This recipe makes 2 dozen muffins (which I like - a little work with a big result). These can be frozen and thawed in the refrigerator overnight. I love to eat these with a little coconut oil spread on them (instead of butter) or some all-fruit jam. Yum!!

Recipe adapted from Tasty Kitchen

Disregard the dirty muffin tin - focus on the delicious looking muffins!

Jana

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Egg-less Double Chocolate Muffins

With all this cold weather, I have been craving warm foods. Soups are great, but I have really been craving muffins and breads. And chocolate! Since we have changed our diet and gone to a more whole foods diet, when I am craving something chocolate or sweet, I choose not to go buy anything, but to make something instead. This is what I decided would fill my cravings. The best of both worlds!

These are great for dessert, an after school snack - I actually fed them to my kids for breakfast the next morning (I am a super-cool mom sometimes).

 Notice the earring? She was dressing up as a "real"Princess

Egg-less Double Chocolate Muffins

2 cups wonder flour (or 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour)

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

4 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup raw sugar

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips, plus 1/4 cup for sprinkling

1 cup non-dairy milk

1/3 cup coconut oil, melted

1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

3 Tbsp plain yogurt (I prefer greek yogurt)

1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a standard muffin tin or line with 12 paper muffin cups.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder, sugar and 1/2 cup of chocolate chips.

In a medium bowl, combine the milk, oil, applesauce, yogurt, and vanilla. Whisk to combine.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Batter may be slightly lumpy.

Divide batter between the prepared muffins tins. If you want your muffins to be over-the-top big muffins, only fill 8-10 wells in your muffin tin. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips on top of the muffins.

Bake in a preheated oven for 18-20 minutes.

We love our mini muffin tin... although it may cause you to eat more because they are so easy to pop in your mouth! (Bake mini muffins for only 12 minutes)

Recipe adapted from My Baking Addiction

Jana

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Egg-less Zucchini Spice Bread

Fall is the time of year when there always seems to be an abundance of zucchini - especially if you grow your own garden. While I am always looking for new ideas to use up my zucchini, there is always the favorite. Zucchini bread. I am also a lover of spice bread - meaning cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg - those kind of spices. So, why not blend the 2 together!

I had a recipe from years back that we used to make, but it calls for 3 eggs and oodles (and oodles and oodles) of sugar. While it tasted great, it was definitely a "treat" and not something to be eaten for breakfast. Obviously I needed a version without eggs and I wanted one that was a bit healthier. This is what I came up with after combining and changing a number of other recipes. It is equally as delicious, but also more filling and worthy of breakfast. Or lunch. Or why not dinner?

Egg-less Zucchini Spice Bread

2/3 cup turbinado (or raw) sugar

2/3 cup sucanat

1 cup coconut oil (or butter. Or even half coconut oil and half butter)

2/3 cup no-sugar added applesauce

1 Tbsp. ground flax mixed with 3 Tbsp. water (or 1 egg)

2 cups grated zucchini

3 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

2 1/2 cups wonder flour (or other whole grain flour, like spelt or kamut)

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. baking powder

3 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (optional - for a special occasion)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Spray loaf pan (or muffin tins) with non-stick spray.

Combine sugars, oil, applesauce and flax mixed with water in a large bowl. Beat until well blended. Add the grated zucchini and vanilla and mix well. In another bowl, sift together the dry ingredients.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 325 degrees F for 45-55 minutes (for loaf) or 20-25 minutes (for muffins).

These are super yummy served with homemade Apricot Jam or Raspberry Apricot Jam.

Yes, we love muffins more than "loaves" at our house!

Jana

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Egg-less Banana Bread Muffins

I told you a couple weeks ago that I would share some recipes that I used to give me energy while running the Red Rock Relay. Well... you are in luck. Not only is this muffin packed full of good-for-you-while-running ingredients, they are just plain delicious! Who doesn't love banana muffins? Well, The Brother's don't, but they don't like much of anything with banana in it.

I love to hide ground nuts in my muffins. The Brother's don't like nuts, but when I grind them until they are very small they are mostly unnoticeable. They add a yummy flavor and some healthy fat and protein to the muffins. Add some whole-fruit jam (check out this post) for extra yumminess! Combine that with some fruit and you have a quick, healthy breakfast, snack or even lunch. These would be great sent to school in a divided container.

There is a healthy version, and a healthier version (in parentheses). Pick the one that suites your lifestyle - and pantry supplies!

Egg-less Banana Bread Muffins

3 ripe bananas

1/4 cup butter (1/4 cup coconut oil, melted)

1/2 cup sugar (1/2 cup raw or turbinado sugar)

1/2 cup brown sugar (1/2 cup sucanat or cane sugar)

1 cup wonder flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 Tbsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 cup chopped walnuts for pecans (optional)

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (optional - for special occasion or extra fun treat)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream butter (oil) with sugar.

In a separate bowl, mash bananas with a potato masher or fork. Add bananas to butter (oil) and sugar and mix well.

Mix all dry ingredients together in a separate bowl. Combine dry ingredients with wet, making sure to scrape the sides of the bowl and mix well. Stir in the nuts, if using.

Spray cooking spray in muffin tin and add a spoonful of batter to each slot - 3/4 of the way full.

Bake for 25 minutes or until tops are lightly browned.

Makes 12 muffins.

Recipe adapted from The Clean Eating Mama

Jana

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