Healthy Chocolate Chip Quinoa Banana Muffins
Spotty bananas don’t last long in my house.
I have a tendency to buy bananas with the intention of eating them as is or freezing them for smoothies, but I ALWAYS wind up forgetting about them and the next thing I know, they’re brown (whoops)! I’m one of those people that will not eat a banana unless it still has a little bit of green on the peel - spotty bananas are way too sweet for me to snack on, but they’re definitely perfect for baking! My roommate and I are both super keen on having healthy, tasty treats in our house and banana muffins seem to be a pretty big staple. They’re quick and easy to make, plus they’re incredibly versatile.
These healthy quinoa banana muffins are gluten free, refined sugar free, nut free and vegan. I used dairy free, stevia sweetened chocolate chips for this recipe, but feel free to use the chocolate of your choice, or, if you want to skip the chocolate all together you could throw in some berries, nuts, or a combination of the two. The quinoa flour gives these muffins a subtle nutty flavor and a nice fluffy consistency. They make a great partner to your morning coffee, are the perfect on-the-go snack if you need a quick bite, and can definitely satisfy your sweet tooth without leaving you feeling sluggish or guilty.
Some health benefits of quinoa include:
A great source of plant based protein - it contains all 9 essential amino acids, making it a complete protein
It has a high fiber content, which helps increase fullness and may aid in weight loss
Rich in important minerals such as iron and magnesium
Very high in antioxidants
Contains Quercetin and a variety of other flavonoids, which are shown to have anti-inflammatory effects
If you try this recipe be sure to let me know! Leave a comment, share this post, and don’t forget to tag me in your photo and #thelittlestoat on Instagram!
Chocolate Chip Quinoa Banana Muffins
Makes 12 muffins
DRY INGREDIENTS:
2 cups quinoa flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup stevia sweetened chocolate chips
WET INGREDIENTS:
4 super ripe bananas, mashed
2 flax eggs (2 tbsp ground flax + 5 tbsp boiling water)
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line your muffin tin with baking cups
In a small bowl, mix up your flax eggs and put aside to set
In a large bowl, mash your bananas until only small chunks remain, then add your flax eggs, coconut oil and vanilla and mix until combined
Whisk all dry ingredients together besides the chocolate chips in a separate bowl
Add the dry ingredients to the wet, mix until almost completely combined - you should still see a little flour throughout the batter
Fold in chocolate chips
Divide the batter evenly between your muffin cups and top with a few extra chocolate chips, if desired (the more the merrier in my opinion)
Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. The tops should be a nice light golden brown color
Let cool in the muffin tin for 5-10 minutes until cool to the touch, then enjoy!