Banana Walnut Chocolate Chunk & Yogurt Muffins {Plus Tips for Healthy Baking Ingredient Swaps}

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As moms, we’re always trying to come up with healthy snacks that our kids want to eat. This is why I love muffins. There are many ways to add healthy ingredients, and your kids think they’re eating a tasty treat

Muffins are easy to bake, and when you make a big batch like these, you can freeze extras for another week, which is an awesome time-saver for busy parents. I love packing mini muffins into the kids’ lunch boxes for their school day snacks or serving them for breakfast or after school with a favorite nut butter spread on top for a little extra nutrition. 

I love this recipe, as it uses a mix of whole wheat and white flour. The combo adds extra fiber and nutrients from the whole wheat, while the white flour keeps them from getting too heavy. Bananas add a lot of natural sweetness, so you don’t need much sugar, plus the bananas are loaded with fiber, potassium, and vitamins B6 and C. Between the eggs, yogurt, and whole wheat, there’s plenty of protein too, making these a healthy and satisfying snack.

Scroll down to the bottom of the recipe for tips and swaps for making your other muffin recipes even healthier. 

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Baking Tips and Notes

1. Don’t you hate it when there’s just a little extra muffin batter? 

When this happens to me (pretty much always!), instead of using another muffin tin or waiting until one batch finishes baking, I pour the extra batter into an oven-safe ramekin or two and bake away. 

2. A lot of schools or classrooms have a no-nuts rule.

In that case, leave out the nuts altogether or bake half the batch without nuts and the other half with. I usually add nuts to my bigger muffins and eat those at home or give them to my husband to bring to work and then bake the minis with no nuts for the kids to bring to school.

3. Freezing extra muffins is great, especially with a recipe like this that makes so many! 

Wait until your muffins cool completely, and then place in an airtight container or zip-top bag, and carefully squeeze out all the air—place in the freezer. I take muffins directly from the freezer, place them in a small container, and send them to school with the kids. By the time lunch or snack time arrives, the muffins are completely defrosted and perfect to eat. 

4. Making other muffin recipes healthier is easy with just a few swaps. 

Try replacing half the white flour with whole wheat pastry flour (it’s lighter in texture than regular whole wheat). Mashed banana, avocado, or apple sauce can replace some butter or oil. Throw in some blueberries, chopped cranberries, or apricots. Replace some milk, butter, or oil with low-fat plain yogurt. This not only reduces the fat but adds in healthy protein and calcium and keeps your muffins extra moist and delicious. 

Nuts and seeds are another great addition for adding in extra protein, fiber, healthy fat, vitamins, and minerals. Try reducing the amount of sugar. Start by reducing about a quarter of the sugar, and if nobody notices, you can try reducing even more the next time you bake the recipe.