Healthy peanut butter and banana muffins

Getting up in the morning isn’t always easy, but with these healthy and scrumptious peanut butter and banana muffins, we have a feeling you and everyone in your household will be feeling a little more motivated to make it to the kitchen.

Muffins are a great breakfast item because you can enjoy them with a cup of coffee on a relaxed weekend morning or grab one and take it with you on the go on busy weekdays. But many store-bought varieties are loaded with fats and sugars, which don’t make them the healthiest start to your day. Fortunately this recipe has the following healthy swaps so you can feel good about your breakfast choice.

• Rather than sugar, dates are mixed with warm water to add a natural touch of sweetness. Dates are rich in dietary fibre and are also good sources of vitamin A, iron, potassium and several other vitamins and minerals.
• Ground flaxseeds mixed with water are used in place of eggs. One tablespoon of ground flaxseeds has 37 calories, which is less than the 70 calories you’ll find in an average egg. Flaxseeds are also high in omega-3 fatty acids and dietary fibre.
• Rather than the white flour used in many recipes, whole-wheat flour and oat flour are used here. Oats are an excellent source of manganese as well as several other minerals.
• All-natural peanut butter is used in favour of those with added sugars, salts and oils.
• Bananas offer a natural sweetness without adding extra sugar.
• Unsweetened almond milk is used, which has just 30 calories per cup and is a great source of calcium and vitamin E.
• These muffins are completely animal product free, so vegans can enjoy them too!

Looking for more muffin recipes? How about these morning millet muffins >>

Healthy peanut butter and banana muffins

Serving size 18

Recipe inspired by One Green Planet

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds
• 6 tablespoons cold water
• 1-1/2 cups rolled oats, divided
• 1 cup whole-wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup natural peanut butter (no salt, oil or sugar added)
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/2 cup pitted dates
• 4 tablespoons hot water
• 2 ripe bananas
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 18 muffin cups (a tray and a half, typically).
2. Combine the ground flaxseeds and cold water in a small bowl. Stir vigorously, and let sit in the fridge for 15 minutes.
3. Place 1 cup of rolled oats in a food processor, and blend until it becomes the consistency of flour.
4. Place the ground oats in a large bowl with the remaining rolled oats, whole-wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir to combine.
5. In another bowl, stir the peanut butter and canola oil until smooth.
6. Place the dates and hot water in a blender. Blend, scraping down the sides as needed until it forms a purée. Some small chunks might remain, but that’s OK. Pour the dates into the peanut butter mixture.
7. Place the two bananas in the blender, and blend until they form a purée. Add them to the wet ingredients, and combine thoroughly.
8. Add the flaxseed mixture and almond milk to the wet ingredients, and stir to combine.
9. Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring as you go. Stir until just combined — avoid over-mixing.
10. Scoop the batter into the greased muffin cups.
11. Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the sides are lightly browned.
12. Remove the muffins from the oven, and transfer them to a wire rack to cool.

More breakfast ideas

Quinoa for breakfast: Two ways
Homemade, super-healthy fruit and seed bars
Fruit-filled oat scones