Healthy Kids Committee’s Recipe of the Month – Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Recipe by Mairlyn Smith P.H.Ec. For more healthy recipes and nutrition information check out http://www.mairlynsmith.com

I created these muffins when my son was going to Gledhill Junior Public School way back in the 1990’s. They are still one of my family’s favourite; deliciously moist, full of flavour and fibre.

Fibre Tip: Each muffin contains 6 g of fibre, which is about 6 times more than a commercial muffin, so don’t go and eat a half dozen. To put it mildly, you’ll be in for a big surprise about twelve hours later. So, just eat one. For little kids – make these in mini muffin tins and serve them one mini or 1/3 of a regular muffin.

Professional home economist tip: For a healthy snack serve the muffin with a glass of milk which weighs in with 8 gm protein or soy beverage which has 6 gm of protein. Both are higher in protein than commercial almond beverage which on average only supplies 1 gm of protein per serving.

Dry Ingredients

1 cup (250 mL) whole wheat flour

¾ cup (175 mL) wheat bran

¾ cup (175 mL) ground flaxseed– see notes below

¼ cup (60 mL) chocolate chips – see note below

2 Tbsp (30 mL) natural wheat germ

2 Tbsp (30 mL) cinnamon

1 ½ tsp (7 mL) baking powder

1 tsp (5 mL) baking soda

Wet Ingredients

1 ½ cups (375 mL) mashed banana, approx. 4-5 really ripe bananas

½ cup (125 mL) dark brown sugar, packed

¾ cup (175 mL) buttermilk – see below

1 omega-3 egg

1. Preheat the oven to 400F°/200C°. Line a muffin tin with paper cup liners.

2. In a large bowl using a fork or a wire whisk mix together all the dry ingredients: whole wheat flour, wheat bran, flaxseed, chocolate chips, wheat germ, cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda.

3. In a medium bowl beat together all the wet ingredients: mashed banana, brown sugar, buttermilk and egg. The mashed banana really needs to be mixed in well.

4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

5. Scoop into muffin cups and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until done. Test for doneness: a toothpick inserted into the centre of the muffin comes out clean. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days on the counter. Can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Makes – 12

Each muffin contains: 168 Calories, 5 g Total fat, 1 g Sat Fat, 0 Trans Fat, 168 mg Sodium, 32 g Carbs, 6 g Fibre, 5 g Protein

Ground Flaxseed

Ground flaxseed is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids which helps with brain function and acts as an anti-inflammatory. Store ground flaxseed in the fridge for up to 3 months.

Chocolate Chips

To make this recipe nut free and school-friendly, choose chocolate chips that are labeled free from nuts.

Big Cooking Tip

For a moist muffin make sure that the bananas are really ripe. You want them to look almost all black and be fairly squishy. You can either let your bananas hit this state of ripeness on your counter attracting fruit flies or look in the Markdown Produce Section for some ripe ones; then let them sit on your counter getting even riper.

Freeze any that you won’t be using right away. When it comes time to make these muffins pull out 4-5 of the blackened bananas; tip: freezing really turns them black, thaw them, cut off the tops, and squish them into a measuring cup, which equals perfect intensely banana flavoured mush; albeit slightly gross looking.

Make these muffins lactose free

Use soy beverage instead. To substitute: pour 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar, or white vinegar, into a 1 cup measuring cup. Add enough soy beverage so the total measurement of vinegar and soy beverage is equal to ¾ cup.

GRAMS OF FIBRE FOR CHILDREN

Children 1-3 years old 19 grams

Children 4-8 years old 25 grams

Boys 9-13 years old 31 grams

Girls 9-13 years old 26 grams