{Cleaned-Up} Banana Muffins

You know what's the best? Banana Muffins. I just love the taste and the texture and how perfectly they go with my morning coffee. What I don't love is the all the white sugar & refined flour that goes into them. It just feels a little counter productive to me.

So, as I stared at the 3 bananas going bad on my counter last week, I took to the Google to see if I could find a recipe that was cleaned-up a bit and found this AWESOME recipe for Maple Banana Bread. Instead of sugar, it uses REAL Maple Syrup (which has an surprising amount of health benefits). I tweaked the recipe a bit to "clean" it up a little bit more and they came out AMAZING. Light, fluffly, moist and sweet, but not too sweet.

On a side note, I had plenty of help with this photo shoot (NOT!) Molly the Beagle could NOT stay away from my muffins. I literally had to take about 100 photos because she kept trying to sneak a bite!

Anyway, if Molly the Beagle likes them, I'm sure you will too!

{Cleaned-Up} Banana Muffins

original recipe: Allrecipes

Makes 14-16 muffins
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup REAL Maple Syrup (not the Aunt Jemima stuff)
1 egg
2 ripe bananas
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 tbsp milk
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder

Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease or line 16 muffin tins and set aside.

Using a mixer, combine the butter and maple syrup on medium until fully integrated. Add the egg and FULL bananas. (NOTE: If you don't have a stand mixer, you can combine the ingredients by hand, but make sure you mash the bananas first) Mix until there are just little banana chunks left over. On slow speed, add the vanilla and milk until combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flours, baking soda and baking powder. Turn on mixer to "stir" and slowly add the flour mix until everything is JUST moistened.

Using a 2 tablespoons (or a cookie scoop), scrape out dough and transfer to the muffin tins. You want the dough to mound at the top of the liner. Depending on how the dough is disperesed you will have anywhere from 14-16 muffins. My muffins were NOT even at all, so I think I made about 18.

Bake for 20-25 mins, watching after the 20 minute mark. Muffins are done when you insert a toothpick into the middle of one and it comes out clean.

These are best enjoyed warm! You can also store them in an airtight container in the fridge. When ready to eat, and warm-up them up in the microwave for 30 seconds & they're just as good!

Enjoy!