Mini Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins

Healthy, kid-approved little bites of goodness!  Like an oatmeal cookie, but in mini muffin form so they are adorable as well.  You won't be able to keep these around for more than a day or two - may I suggest making a double batch?!   

Feel good about giving these to your kids - no flour or eggs and the sugar is optional (but even then, I used coconut sugar which is way healthier than white sugar).  You can also omit the chocolate chips and double the raisins.  It's only 3 tablespoons though, and the combination of the chocolate with the chewy raisins is an absolute favorite of mine.    

How cute are these?!  Poppable little bites of awesomeness.  I mentioned before that you can omit the sugar altogether.  My sweet tooth is kind of out of control, so I wanted to add it.  Between the bananas and peanut butter, these may be sweet enough for you without the sugar.  Taste the mixture before you add it.  

Yields 16 mini muffins

Mini Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins

1 over-ripe banana, mashed

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 cup oats

3 tablespoons raisins

3 tablespoons mini chocolate chips

1 teaspoon coconut sugar (optional)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a mini muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.  In a medium bowl, stir the banana and peanut butter together.  Add the other ingredients and mix until combined.  Using a small cookie scoop, drop the mixture into the cups of the muffin tin.  Press down on the batter to smooth out the top and fill out the muffin cup.  Bake for 14 minutes.  Store in an airtight container at room temperature.    

(Source:  Adapted from Chocolate Covered Katie)

You may also like:

Monster Cookies

Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter and Raisin Granola Bars

Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola Bars

Chocolate Peanut Butter Oat Bites

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Banana Muffins

Blueberry Muffins with Pecan Crumble

I haven't been doing a lot of baking lately and truth is, I've been trying to justify baking sweets when my family and I have been trying to watch what we eat for the past couple of weeks.  Well, I am here to tell you that there is a way to give into those sweet tooth cravings and maintain that healthy lifestyle.  And this is one of those treats...     

These blueberry muffins are out of this world...they are moist, sweet and chock full of berries.  Not to mention the pecan cinnamon crunch topping.  And guess what?!  They are made with all clean eating ingredients.  

My children love them and I don't feel bad about letting them eat these for breakfast or a snack.  I used whole wheat flour, coconut oil, even coconut sugar.  I think that's why they are a bit darker in color than regular muffins would be.  Coconut sugar is dark, like brown sugar, but you use it as 1:1 ratio to regular white sugar.     

And, if you've never heard of coconut sugar, your're not the only one.  I was researching alternatives to sugar and came across it online.  I was shocked when I saw it in my regular old grocery store!  I thought I was either going to have to order it or get it from Whole Foods, which I'm proud to say our quaint city of Savannah just recently got.  Look at us, getting all sophisticated and grown up.  

Makes 12 muffins

Blueberry Muffins with Pecan Crumble

2 cups white whole wheat flour, divided

2/3 cup coconut sugar, divided

1 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (thawed)

1 egg

1 cup low-fat buttermilk

3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted

For the crumble

3 tablespoons white whole wheat flour

3 tablespoons coconut sugar

1 tablespoon chopped pecans

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

2 tablespoon organic unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a 12-count muffin tin with liners.  

Make the crumble by combining everything except the butter in a small bowl.  Slowly drizzle in the melted butter and mix with a fork until just moistened.  

Make the muffins:  in a large bowl, whisk the flour, coconut sugar, cinnamon, salt, baking powder and baking soda.  Gently stir in the blueberries.  In a medium bowl, whisk egg, buttermilk and oil.  Add to blueberry mixture and stir until just moistened.  Spoon into muffins cups, filling about 3/4 of the way full.  

With your fingers, crumble topping over each muffin.  Bake, rotating halfway through until edges are lightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in center, 18-20 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 5 minutes.  Carefully remove muffins from tin and transfer to a cooling rack.  Serve warm and store remaining muffins in a sealed container in the fridge (they are very moist and keep better chilled).  

(Source:  Adapted from Clean Eating Mag)

My Favorite Banana Recipes

If you're like me, you always have a stash of frozen bananas in the freezer.  As they start to turn too brown to eat, I immediately throw what we have remaining into the freezer to use later for banana bread or muffins.  Here are my favorite ways to use those overripe bananas, just click the recipe to follow the link!

Chocolate Banana Brownies with Vanilla Glaze

Chocolate Chip Pecan Banana Bread

Nutella and Banana Crepes

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Mini Banana Pancakes

Chocolate Puff Pastry Treats

Banana Pudding Poke Cake

Banana Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

Banana Cupcakes with Honey Cinnamon Cream Cheese Icing

Banana Bread

Happy banana baking!  I would love for you share some of your favorite banana recipes! 

Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins

'Tis the season for pumpkin recipes!!  I have so much canned pumpkin at my house it's not even funny.  Pinterest sure does inspire!  I also had a can of apple pie filling so thought I mix the two flavors together - these are amazing.  And it makes a ton of muffins, about 18 to 24.  

I added a streusel topping for a bit of added sweetness and crunch.  It's just butter, cinnamon, sugar and flour mixed together and sprinkled over the top before baking. 

Makes 18-24 muffins

Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins

2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 can of apple pie filling
2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the streusel topping
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 teaspoons butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 2 12-cup muffin tins with liners (or spray with non-stick cooking spray).  In a large bowl, mix the eggs, pumpkin and apple pie filling until combined.  In a smaller, separate bowl, mix the flour, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt.  Add to the wet ingredients and stir just until everything is combined.

Using an ice cream scoop, fill the cup cake liners about 3/4 of the way full.  In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the streusel topping.  Using a fork or knife, keep cutting through the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Distribute evenly over the muffin batter.

Bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

(Source:  Adapted from allrecipes.com)

 

Apple and Zucchini Muffins

I said this in my last post, but my kids are becoming increasingly picky.  Luckily, they like fruit and eat bananas like they're going out of style, but other than that, I'm having a hard time getting them to eat more than just bread!  I ask my 3-year old what she wants for breakfast (or lunch or dinner for that matter) and her answer is always an enthusiastic, "Toast!".  Sometimes with jelly (at least she's getting some fruit?) and sometimes with peanut butter (a little protein?), but that girl loves her toast.

I make banana muffins or bread regularly because I always have a stash of bananas in my freezer.  I thought I would try something a little different and help my kids get some veggies at the same time.  I'm not saying that these are healthy, still sugar and oil and all that, but it makes me feel a little good about myself when I see my two little ones gobble these up.

Love these little muffin/cupcake liners I got for Christmas!

This makes a lot of batter.  In fact the original recipe calls for 3 loaf pans.  I only have 2 12-cup muffin pans so I did 24 muffins and then put the rest into a loaf pan (it didn't fill it up all the way, so it was kind of a short loaf).  

Makes 30 muffins or 3 loaves

Apple Zucchini Muffins

5 eggs

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil 

2 cups sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

4 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups shredded unpeeled zucchini

1 cup peeled finely diced apples (or you can shred them)

1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and fill two 12-cup and one 6-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners (or grease three 8x4 loaf pans).  Add eggs to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat.  Add oil, sugars and vanilla.  Mix the dry ingredients together and add; mix well.  Add zucchini, apples and pecans and mix again.  Using an ice cream scoop, spoon batter 2/3 of the way full into the lined muffin tins.  Bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. 

(Source:  Adapted from Taste of Home)

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

I always seem to have a few bananas in the freezer for just an occasion when I am craving banana bread.  FYI - that is such a great way to use bananas that are about to go bad...just throw them in the freezer and use them later!  They will turn black, but they are perfectly good to use months later.  This is actually the exact recipe I use for my banana bread, but obviously done in a muffin tin, rather than a loaf pan.  I love the chocolate and banana combination but you can substitute for nuts, or do both, or leave both out!  Completely up to you!  

The milk and vinegar mixture is actually a substitute for buttermilk.  Just let them sit together for about 5 minutes.  Or if you have buttermilk, add that in when I call for the milk/vinegar mixture. 

 Perfectly plump muffins! 

Loving taking pictures with my new camera!!  

Makes 12 muffins

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

1/3 cup milk

1/3 teaspoon vinegar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3 bananas, mashed

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners (or spray with non-stick cooking spray).  Combine the milk and vinegar and set aside.  Using an electric mixer, combine the oil and sugar. Sift together flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda and add to sugar mixture. Add bananas and milk/vinegar mixture and mix well.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Use an ice cream scoop to fill paper liners about 2/3 of the way full and bake for 25-30 minutes.  

(Source:  Adapted from Paula Deen)

Apple Cinnamon Muffins with Streusel Topping

 I don't know how it happened, but somehow we turned into an apple family.  I mean, I like apples, not plain, like just to bite into one, but believe me, I won't pass up a big ol' slice of apple pie.  It's just that before kids, we never had apples in the house.  Now, with two little ones, once you find a fruit or veggie that they like, then by God, you stick with it!  Even if you have to cut it up and bribe them with a little peanut butter or Nutella for dipping.

This picture above was taken right before they went into the oven (yum!).  At any rate, since we do have these apples and I bake, I have been using them a lot to make cakes and muffins.  This is actually the same recipe I used for my Apple Cinnamon cake, but a smaller version, with more of a crunchy, oat topping (yum again).  These are great...so moist and dense and great for an on the go breakfast! 

12 Muffins

For the muffins

1 stick of butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon milk

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups, peeled, diced apples (about 2 apples)

1 tablespoon cinnamon

For the topping

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons oats

2 tablespoons butter, diced

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and place liners in the cups of a 12-cup muffin tin.  In a bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar together.  In a small bowl, combine the milk and vinegar and add baking soda to dissolve.  Add to butter/sugar mixture and mix well.  Add eggs and mix well.  Add salt, flour and vanilla.  Fold in apples and cinnamon.  

Using an ice cream scoop or measuring cup, scoop batter evenly into the liners of the muffin cups.  In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the topping and start mashing with a fork (or use your fingers) until it becomes crumbly.  Sprinkle topping evenly over each muffin.  

Bake for 25-30 minutes.    

Berry Berry Muffins

I am not a huge blueberry fan, unless they're in a muffin (love blueberry muffins) or pancakes or something that makes them sweeter.  By themselves, they are just too tart for me.  I had a pint of blueberries that was given to me and was all set to make plain ol' blueberry muffins when I came across Ina Garten's Tri-Berry Muffins.  Minus the strawberries (which I really don't like either - unless it's like a fake strawberry flavor in a candy or something...I know, it's strange), these looked fantastic.  I do love raspberries - finally, you say! - so I bought a pint of those and got to work.  I pretty much followed her recipe to a tee, omitting the strawberries but making up for it with additional raspberries and blueberries.  I also didn't realize that I was out of paper liners (don't you hate that??) so I used just used a non-stick cooking spray in the pans and the muffins popped right out.  Although I would have liked the look of them with the liners...

Makes 16-18 muffins

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Barefoot Contessa Ultimate Chocolate Cake and Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting Mix

1 1/4 cups milk 

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 cup fresh raspberries

1 1/2 cups sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line muffin tins with paper liners.

In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon until combined.  In a separate bowl, combine the milk, eggs and butter.  Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined.  There will be lumps but don't over mix.  Fold in the berries and sugar.  

Using a large spoon or ice cream scoop, spoon the batter into the liners in the muffin tins.  Bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.  

(Source:  Adapted from Barefoot Contessa at Home, Tri-Berry Muffins)

      

Pumpkin Spice Raisin Cake

I've said it before, but Fall is one of my favorite times of the year because pumpkin is back in grocery stores! This makes a double batch of bread or 24 muffins, or 1 batch of each (which is obviously what I did). I always like a bit of something in my breads, and the raisins are a great addition. Not so keen on nuts, but if you are, 1 cup of walnuts should do the trick!

Yields 2 loaves or 24 muffins

3 cups of sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs, lightly beaten

15 oz can of pumpkin

3 1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

2/3 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 2 loaf pans or line 2 12-cup cupcake pans with liners. Mix together butter and sugar. Add eggs and mix thoroughly, followed by the pumpkin. Combine all the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Blend dry ingredients and water into the wet mixture, alternating. Divide the batter between the pans and bake for 30-40 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean for bread; 20-25 minutes for cupcakes.

Cheesy Jalapeno Corn Muffins

When I think of baking, I immediately go to something sweet, as do most people. Tonight I thought, why not savory? I love cornbread and sure do get my fill living in the south. The combination of the sweet cornmeal and honey mixed with the heat of the jalapenos gives these such an amazing taste, with a real good bite (said with my best southern accent)!! Sprinkle a little cheese on top a couple of minutes before they are done and you get a cheesy, golden brown top that is too yummy! By the way, I used a Mexican blend of shredded cheese, but colby jack or even cheddar would be great - your pick.

Makes 24

1 cup flour

1 cup yellow cornmeal

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon baking poweder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/3 cup shredded cheese, plus more for sprinkling

1 cup milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 of a 4 oz. can of diced jalapenos

3 tablespoons honey

1 cup frozen corn, thawed

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 12 cup muffin tin. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, cayenne pepper and cheese. Whisk together the milk, oil, eggs, jalapenos and honey. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture, stiring until combined.

Spoon the batter into the tins, filling 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 1o minutes and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Continue baking until golden brown, another 2-5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool and serve warm.