Not-Too-Shabby Lite Banana-Chocolate Chip Muffins

Prep Time- 15 | Cook Time- 20-27 | Makes 12-15 Medium muffins

Ingredients:

• 3 Medium Bananas– smashed
• 2 Eggs
• 1/2 Cup Oil (Vegetable, Evoo, Coconut, etc.)
• 1/2 Cup Real Maple Syrup
• 1/4 Cup Milk (Almond, Oat, Soy, Cow, etc.)
• 1 Tsp Vanilla
• 1 Tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 Tsp Salt
• 1/2 Tsp Cinnamon
• 1/8 Tsp Nutmeg
• 1/2-3/4 Cup Chocolate Chips (how chocolate-y do you want them?)
• 1/3-1/2 Cup Oats
• 1 3/4 Cup Flour (whatever you like to bake with-AP, wheat, etc.)

* See notes at the bottom for ingredient alternatives and other ideas!

Instructions:

1- Gather all ingredients and set the oven to 325°F (or about 162.8°C). Grease (or oil spray) a cupcake/ muffin baking sheet. Smash your Bananas- I like to leave some chunks to give the muffins some banana-y texture. Chop your walnuts or chocolate chips or any additional ingredients too (see ideas below!).

2- In a large mixing bowl, mix all the wet ingredients together (Banana, Oil, Maple Syrup, Eggs, Milk).

3- Add the Vanilla, Baking Soda, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, and Salt– mix well.

4- Add the Oats and mix them so they’re completely wet. Let this sit 3-5 minutes. Then add the Flour and mix until JUST incorporated. At this time, you can throw in your Chocolate Chips and any additional ingredients (see suggestions/ ideas below!).

5- Fill each muffin tin 2/3- 3/4 of the way full- these muffins WILL rise so give them some space for that. Place in the oven and bake for about 20- 27 minutes. The cook time really depends on your oven, how wet the mix was, how well the oats absorbed the moisture, etc. – I recommend using the trusty toothpick method! Stick a toothpick into the center of a muffin and if it comes out without a bunch of wet mixture stuck to it, they’re done!

6- Let these not-so-bad boys cool a bit before you eat them! Or don’t, I’m not the boss of you, but you will burn your tongue if you try to down them right out of the oven. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

NOTES:

OPTIONAL YUMM-INESS – You can add chocolate of any kind- chunks or chips, shaved chocolate, cocoa powder, white, milk, dark…, walnuts, almond slivers, dried fruits, pumpkin spice… You can also top the muffins with more oats, turbinado sugar, or cinnamon sugar… Experimentation here rarely leads to absolute failure!