Whole Wheat Banana Muffins

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I thought I’d run out of variations on a banana theme, but these Whole Wheat Banana Muffins took me by surprise. They taste like the best banana bread, but slightly softer and fluffier as befitting a muffin.  Don’t skimp on the bananas when you make these! This isn’t one of those recipes where less is more.  I cleaned out my entire supply of overripe black bananas, which made everyone in my house pretty happy, since they were disgusting to look at.

It was a pretty simple recipe to pull together. I found it on Two Peas & Their Pod, but made a couple of changes.  I subbed wheat germ for some of the flour, I quadrupled the cinnamon, and I threw in some nutmeg.

I mashed up the bananas, and left most of the other ingredients alone as I added them, except I cut the brown sugar in half.

Oh, and I always use vanilla bean paste instead of extract. But the rest — Greek yogurt, coconut oil, and egg — I left unadjusted.

I poured/glopped that into the flour mixture, and stirred with care.

After I scooped the batter into muffin cups, I topped each one with a little cinnamon sugar.

I had enough batter left over for a mini loaf, which made sense — you could also just do what the recipe says and make 15 muffins.

My muffins were done in 18 minutes, the loaf took another 8.  They puffed up nicely!

They turned out great.  They didn’t last long. And they’re really good for you! Coconut oil, Greek yogurt, wheat germ, bananas…truly a breakfast of champions, and definitely something to look forward to when you get up in the morning.

WHOLE WHEAT BANANA MUFFINS RECIPE (original)

My version of Whole Wheat Banana Muffins (adapted from Two Peas & Their Pod)

yields 15 muffins, or 12 muffins and a mini loaf

ingredients:

1 1/3 cups whole wheat white flour
2/3 cups wheat germ
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
4 large ripe bananas or 5 medium (about 1 3/4 cup, mashed)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
cinnamon sugar, for sprinkling

directions:

Spray or line 15 muffin cups (or 12 muffin cups and a mini loaf pan, and heat the oven to 400 degrees, you will reduce the temperature later.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, wheat germ, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.

In a medium bowl, mash the bananas. Add the brown sugar, then the Greek yogurt, coconut oil, egg, and vanilla.  Mix thoroughly.

Pour the banana mixture into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined.

Scoop batter into muffin cups/mini loaf pan and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. (Any coarse sugar will do, mixed with cinnamon.)

Place tray(s) in oven and reduce temperature to 375. Bake muffins for 15-20 minutes, mini loaf for another 5-8 minutes after that.  Let sit in the pan for five more minutes, then move to a wire rack.