Healthy Banana Oat Muffins, 4 ways

These oatmeal, banana muffins are light and fluffy, bursting with big banana flavor, and made with organic, good for you ingredients. Plus, I have 4 different irresistible flavor combos you can try to spice things up: blueberry chia; banana nut; PB&J, and dark chocolate chip. So much goodness here!

I’m sorry it has taken me so long to get this recipe to you all, but this has been one crazy week!

I have some BIG news:

My husband got a promotion at work and we are moving to a new city! It’s hard to put into words just how proud I am of my husband and the amazing things he’s doing for our growing family! I’m very excited to see what this next chapter in life has in store for us.

After living in an apartment in Chicago for the last 5 years, I’m so ready and excited to finally have a home of our own. First, the timing is perfect since our baby boy is due in 3 months. I love the idea of having a big yard for him to play in as he grows up. Plus, in unit laundry will certainly come in handy with a newborn (I’ve heard all about the daily blow outs!).

I’m also very excited to finally have a place with good natural lighting (as a food blogger/photographer, this is a must have on my house criteria list). Don’t get me wrong: I’ve loved living in our charming, old brownstone apartment in the heart of wicker park – but it’s very lacking in natural light, which has made food photography a challenge.

Admittedly though, trying to move to a new city and find a house in only 2 months, especially with a baby on the way, has proven difficult. I’ve been obsessively searching for homes in my free time this week, but still haven’t found the one I love. Any time I think I have found “the house,” I receive an email notification that it’s already off the market. *sigh* If you’ve ever searched for a home, you know how intense this process can be and how quickly things can be scooped up.

I know I just have to keep positive that we will find our dream home soon!

During my frantic morning house searches, these banana nut muffins have come in handy. I made them last Sunday and have eaten them for breakfast all week- I get up, grab a cup of coffee and one of these delicious muffins, and start my searching.

They are my new favorite banana muffin recipe: they are super light and airy, bursting with big banana flavor, have a nice texture from the whole oats, and are made with organic, healthy ingredients.

Best part: I have four different flavor combinations you can try to spice up them up and make them even more delicious: Banana walnut, raspberry jam and peanut butter, chia seeds and blueberries, and dark chocolate chips.

Each morning, I get to choose a new flavor adventure, which is perfect for me because I like variety and can never pick just one flavor (hence why this house search is soooo hard).

Let’s get to baking!

First, let’s talk about the ingredients you need for these muffins. I used a combination of healthy, superfood ingredients, like oats, coconut sugar, oat flour, and almond milk, with some more indulgent ingredients like organic butter and organic cane sugar. I think that helps create a nice balance between making something you can feel good about eating but also tastes rich and delicious.

To make the muffins, combine all of the dry ingredients. I used both cinnamon and nutmeg because they add a nice pop of spice and flavor to the muffins that pairs nicely with the banana flavor. I also used oat flour and old fashioned oats to provide a light, airy but still textured muffin and to keep them gluten-free!

Next, add the ripe bananas to the bowl of your stand mixer turn it on low to mash the bananas. Make sure to use ripe bananas as they have a more concentrated banana flavor and will add moisture to the finished product.

Next, add the sugar and remaining wet ingredients and mix until well-combined. Finally, combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix until fully combined and the batter is formed. Divide the batter between 12-14 lined and greased muffin cavities.

Now the fun part: adding your flavor combinations. If you are making 12 muffins, you will have 3 kinds of each flavor (if it makes a little more, then you can have one or two more of your favorite flavors).

For the blueberry chia seed, add fresh blueberries and a 1/4 teaspoon of chia seeds to three of the muffin cavities and swirl through the batter. To another three, add dark chocolate chips and swirl through the batter. Next, add chopped walnuts to three more of the muffins and top with a fresh banana slice. Finally, swirl fresh raspberry jam and peanut butter in the last few muffins (see recipe for how to make the raspberry jam). Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes.

These muffins are moist and light with the perfect balance of richness and sweetness. Each flavor combination is delicious and unique!

They have helped me survive this crazy, whirlwind of a week. Now let’s hope our dream home comes on the market soon!

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Healthier Banana Oat Muffins, 4 different ways

Course Breakfast

Author Dani

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cup oat flour
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 ripe bananas
• 1 egg room temp
• 1/3 cup cane sugar
• 1/3 cup coconut sugar
• 5 tablespoons organic butter melted and cooled slightly
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 tablespoon non-dairy or regular milk

Toppings

• 1/4 cup raspberry
• Touch honey
• 1 tablespoon peanut butter melted
• 1 tablespoon dark chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon blueberries
• 3/4 teaspoon chia seeds
• 1 tablespoon walnuts chopped
• 4 slices banana

Instructions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 12-14 muffin cavities with liners.
2. In a medium sized bow, combine all of the dry ingredients (oat flour to baking soda). Set aside.
3. In your stand mixer or with a hand mixer/whisk, mash the bananas. Add in the sugar and remaining wet ingredients and mix until smooth.
4. Pour in dry ingredients and mix until well-combined. Be careful not to over-mix.
5. Divide batter between the muffin cavities – it should make 12-14 muffins.
6. In a small bowl, combine the raspberries and touch of honey. For 3 of the muffins, add a teaspoon of peanut butter and raspberry mixture and swirl.
7. In 3 of the muffins, add dark chocolate chips and mix so they incorporate into the muffin. Add a few more of top.
8. In 3 of the muffins, add blueberries and a 1/4 teaspoon chia seeds and swirl into the muffin. I added a few more blueberries on top.
9. Finally, in the final 3 muffins, add in walnuts and swirl into the muffin. Top with a fresh slice of muffin.
10. Bake the muffins for 15-18 minutes.**

Recipe Notes

**If you are feeling fancy and what a more bakery style muffin, then try this cooking method: For the first 5 minutes of baking time, increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees. The hotter air will help the muffin rise more quickly and create a beautiful dome like shape for the muffin top. Lower the temperature back to 350 and bake for remaining time.

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