PB & PROTEIN BANANA OAT MUFFINS

In my preschool days I used to watch my mom bake. She would make recipes that were my grandmothers (including  coffee cake and jelly roles).  Sometimes she would bake us cookies and have them warm from the oven when we got home.  It was an art.  When my dad passed away at the young age of 34, the baking decreased and my mom went to work on an art degree so she could teach and earn an income.  It was several years until I took to baking in Home Economics, which I just recently learned is now called FACS. Let me tell you Mrs Englebretson, the kitchen looks the same as it did in middle school over 25 years ago. Anyhow, as time went on, life got busier. Baking became a rarity. Focusing on nutrition as my trade, baking took on a whole new life in food science.  It was not always about the taste as it was why something would rise, flop, coagulate, etc.  It also became less about taste and more about what the nutritional value was.

Long story short, this weekend I had some ripe bananas: the brown ones no one is likely to eat unless made into banana bread.  Although I still enjoy to bake and love the memories it provokes, I find I rarely take the time.  So based upon the details above, I started looking for a recipe that might work with some added nutrition value.  I added a few changes of my own and to my genuine surprise and pleasure, it turned out. I hope you enjoy it and thank you for letting me share.

PB & Protein Banana Oat Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 cup creamy natural peanut butter
• 2 large brown bananas
• 2 eggs
• 2 scoops vanilla protein powder ( I used AdvoCare Muscle Gain)
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup oatmeal (I used Trader Joe's Gluten free)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400. 
2. In large bowl mash bananas, add egss and combine liquid ingredients. 
3. In seperate small bowl mix dry ingredients.  
4. Add all ingredients together and blend until smooth. 30-45 seconds.
5. Scoop or spoon batter into greased muffin tin. 
6. Bake 10-12 minutes or until muffins have set.

Yield: 12 Muffins  (serving size: 1 muffin)
Calories: 210  Carbohydrate: 20g  Fat: 13g  Protein: 9g 

I apologize to those who asked for the recipe a few days ago.  The dietitian in me had to calculate the numbers. 

Enjoy and Be Well!

Liz

Liz Blom, RD

Nutrition & Wellness Coach

www.healthygirlliz.com

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