Chocolate chip cookies.
A timeless classic.
And….
muffins.
My recent new obsession.
If you’ve been following the blog lately, you’ve probably noticed that most of my new recipes these past couple of weeks have been muffins.
I’ve had a newfound infatuation with muffins and my brain has been runnin’ wild with all these crazy flavor combinations I could come up with in protein muffin form.
So just like how my favorite band of all time, Linkin Park, combined different genres of music together to create a unique sound, you know I had to mish mash two of my favorite desserts together and pump them up with solid doses of protein and peanut butter.
And the results……
super spectacular and addicting!
So, without further adieu….
Enter….my Dark Chocolate Chip Banana Protein Muffins!!
An oven-baked, almond flour, whey protein batter….
exploding with dark chocolate chips, banana, cinnamon, amaretto, peanut butter….
…loaded with protein, antioxidants and fiber….
KAAAA-POWWWW!!
The classic chocolate chip cookie transformed into super-powered, ultra delicious protein muffins!!
One thing I’m sure you’ll really like about these muffins is….
NO refined flours, NO granulated sugars, and NO butter is used in the batter! That’s right—
1) Instead of all-purpose flour, the most common flour used to make muffins, I use almond flour.
It provides excellent nutritional value—-high in protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants—all purpose flour provides NONE of this.
And also, according to the Diabetes Education Online website, “because fiber is a type of carbohydrate your body can’t digest, it does not affect your blood sugar levels. You should subtract the grams of fiber from the total carbohydrate.”
Generally, almond flour contains 5 grams of carbs, and 3 grams of fiber per serving. Taking this into account, this means that almond flour only has 2 grams net carbs per serving! Much leaner than all-purpose, and leaner than other commonly used flours like, whole wheat flour or oat flour!
More excellent info on almond flour can be found here.
2) I use monk fruit sweetener instead of granulated sugar.
Most muffins add some type of sugar into their recipes, like brown sugar, table sugar, or coconut sugar, but these options are all super high in sugars/carbs, and we all know how bad sugars are no matter how you slice it.
Monk fruit sweetener is a fantastic substitute for regular white/cane/table/coconut sugar. Monk fruit sweetener is the juice collected from the monk fruit, and it is similar in appearance to regular table sugar.
The main difference—it’s about 200 times sweeter than sugar, but with zero calories, and zero carbs. You can sub it in at a 1:1 ratio for regular sugar.
I personally love this stuff! And I use it in most of my “sweet” recipes ever since I found out about it.
More detailed information about monk fruit can be found here.
3) I sub in peanut butter instead of butter.
I use peanut butter in these muffins to not only add that delicious, nutty flavor, and not just because of its high protein/nutrient content (about 7g protein, 12g unsaturated fats, 3g fiber per 2 tbsp serving), but also because it adds “healthy” fats and oils that help keep these muffins moist, which locks in its flavor.
4) Last but not least…
-whey protein powder is used to bump up the protein content.
–banana is used as a natural sweetener.
-cinnamon and almond extract to enhance the flavors.
Add these all together and what you got here is one ultra nutritious and delicious protein muffin!
OK, here are the nutritional benefits of the main ingredients in these Dark Chocolate Chip Banana Protein Muffins…..
Dark chocolate has been shown to contain high amounts of antioxidants, polyphenols, and flavonoids—all of which are believed to help fight cancer, fight free radical damage, and fight disease. Certain research has shown dark chocolate to maybe help improve brain function, boost memory, and enhance focus. Studies have found flavonols in dark chocolate may help improve blood circulation to the heart and may help lower blood pressure.
Bananas are fully-loaded with potassium, a very important nutrient which has been shown to help support the body’s circulatory system, help move oxygen throughout our cells, and helps to lower high blood pressure. Bananas are high in fiber, which helps to keep our digestive system running smoothly and helps to remove toxins.
Peanut butter, which is basically grounded up peanuts, contain about 8 grams of protein per ounce, this is more than all other nuts. Peanuts contain bioactives like flavonols and phenolic acids, that provide numerous health benefits. Studies have shown that resveratrol (found on the peanut skins), a bioactive found in only a few foods, may help lower risks of cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and diabetes.
Cinnamon is considered the most antioxidant-rich spice in the world. The antioxidants found in cinnamon are believed to fight off disease, protect DNA cell damage, slow the aging process, and may help fight cancer. Studies have shown cinnamon may improve heart health by lowering blood pressure and increasing blood circulation.
Here’s what you’ll need….
(ingredients pic)
Some quick notes before you get started….
-you can sub 1/2 cup applesauce instead of the banana.
-once you pour the batter onto the muffin pan, add more dark chocolate chips on top before you place it in the oven!
-This generally will take about 14-17 minutes baking time. Be careful NOT over-bake!!*** This will dry them out!
Keep a close eye on them and take them out right when they’re done.
-Check them at about the 15 minute mark and do the toothpick test to see where you’re at (toothpick down the center), and place it back in the oven for a few more minutes if need be, but not a second more!
-Store in an airtight container and keep in the fridge. Best if consumed within 3-4 days. I like to re-heat them back up in the microwave, it’s just like they’re fresh out the oven!
If you like these, then you’re gonna love my….
- -Dark Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Protein Bars
- -Double Dark Chocolate Chip Protein Muffins
- -Dark Chocolate Chip Snickerdoodle Protein Pizookie
Alright then….let’s get to it!!
Prep Time | 15 minutes |
Cook Time | 14-17 minutes |
Servings |
muffins
|
- 1 cup almond flour
- 2 scoops vanilla whey protein powder
- 2 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 3 tbsp monk fruit sweetener
- 1 1/2 large banana
- 1 whole egg
- 2 tsp almond extract
- 1/3 cup peanut butter
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
Ingredients
|
|
- Preheat oven to 375.
- In mixing bowl, add flour, protein powder, cinnamon, baking powder, monk fruit sweetener. Mix thoroughly.
- In separate larger bowl, mash bananas with fork until mushy. Add eggs, almond extract. Mix. Add peanut butter. Mix thoroughly.
- Gradually pour dry ingredient bowl contents into larger wet ingredient bowl, while mixing. Mix until fully incorporated. Fold in dark chocolate chips.
- Line muffin pan with baking cups. If not available, grease muffin pan with olive oil. Using spoon, add batter into each muffin section, at least 2/3 full, or fill to the top. Should make about 9 muffins.
- Bake in oven for about 14-17 minutes, or until toothpick down the center comes out clean.
- Remove from oven. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan. Enjoy!
-you can sub 1/2 cup applesauce instead of the banana.
-once you pour the batter onto the muffin pan, add more dark chocolate chips on top before you place it in the oven!
-This generally will take about 14-17 minutes baking time. Be careful NOT over-bake!!*** This will dry them out!
Keep a close eye on them and take them out right when they’re done.
-Check them at about the 15 minute mark and do the toothpick test to see where you’re at (toothpick down the center), and place it back in the oven for a few more minutes if need be, but not a second more!
-Store in an airtight container and keep in the fridge. Best if consumed within 3-4 days. I like to re-heat them back up in the microwave, it’s just like they’re fresh out the oven!
Did you try this recipe? How did it turn out for you? I would love to hear from you! Sound off in the comment section below or use the social media links you see above or throughout the blog. Thanks guys!!