Chocolate-Chip Banana Protein Muffins

I know, the title alone sounds good enough to eat!  I thought I would share this recipe for banana muffins that I've been slowly developing and perfecting over the last month or so.  I love muffins (though oddly enough I am not a cupcake fan), but I especially love when I can make breakfast muffins that are (for the most part) healthy and yet taste like they aren't.  That's what I have finally achieved with this recipe.  And it's not just my opinion - my recipes are always tested by my husband and this one got two thumbs up from him!  

So let's begin!  The first step will be to gather your ingredients:

You will need: All-purpose flour (I typically use white whole wheat flour), sugar, baking soda, salt, vanilla extract, two eggs, vegetable oil, Greek yogurt, protein powder, chocolate chips, and of course bananas.

Step 1:  In a medium-sized bowl, beat the eggs well with a whisk.  Add 1/3 Cup of oil and blend well.  Then add 1/2 Cup sugar and 1 tsp. of vanilla.  Mix until the wet ingredients are smooth.

In a separate bowl, mix together 1 1/2 Cups of flour, 1 tsp of baking soda and 1 tsp of salt.  Be sure to mix well so that the dry ingredients are well distributed.  After mixing, add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir together just until the wet ingredients are incorporated into the dry (the mixture will be very thick and difficult to stir, but that's OK - we will thin it out later.

Next you will mash 3 ripe bananas and add them to the mixture.  

Mix the bananas in lightly - you do not need to stir too much.  Then you will add 1/2 Cup of Greek yogurt.  I had a french vanilla yogurt on hand so that is what I used, but plain would work just as well.  (it may not look pretty yet but it will!)

Mix the Greek yogurt in until well blended.  Then you will add your protein powder!  I typically use Garden of Life Raw Protein or Meal (Garden of Life) in either vanilla or chocolate.  This time around we used vanilla.  If your protein has a scoop inside you will add 1 1/2 scoops of protein, or the equivalent of roughly 1/3 - 1/2 cup.  Be sure to mix the protein powder in very well!  The you will add 1/2 Cup of chocolate chips and stir gently.

At this point our muffin mix smelled and tasted just like cake batter - it's heavenly!  

Now you will line your muffin pan with paper liners and use a spoon to pour the batter evenly.  

Bake the muffins at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 20-25 minutes.  (Mini-muffing take about 15-18 minutes).  Let them cool completely and then enjoy! 

You will want to store the muffins in an airtight container in the fridge; because of the yogurt mixed in I have found that they will go bad pretty quickly if they are stored on the counter but in the fridge they will keep for up to 10 days.  If you want to eat them warm just put one back in the oven at 350 degrees for a minute or two or stick them in the microwave for about 20 seconds. 

I hope you enjoy this recipe!  The muffins make a great on-the-go breakfast option that contains a good amount of protein to help keep you full.  

Complete recipe for printing:

Chocolate-Chip Banana Protein Muffins

Recipe from 1918Miles Blog

• 2 large Eggs
• 1/3 Cup Vegetable Oil
• 1/2 Cup Sugar
• 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
• 1 1/2 Cups Flour
• 1 tsp. Baking Soda
• 1 tsp. Salt
• 3 ripe Bananas, mashed
• 1/2 Cup Greek Yogurt (plain or vanilla)
• 1-2 scoops (1/3-1/2 Cup) Protein Powder (chocolate or vanilla)
• 1/2 Cup Chocolate Chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl, beat eggs with wire whisk.  Add oil and mix until well blended.  Add sugar and vanilla extract and mix with whisk until mixture is smooth.  Set aside.
3. In another bowl, mix flour, baking soda, and salt thoroughly.  Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir until dry ingredients are fully incorporated (the mixture will be thick and tough to stir at this point).
4. Mash the bananas and add to the muffin mix.  Stir just until the bananas are blended in but do not over-stir.  Add the yogurt and mix well so that the yogurt is well distributed within the mixture.  Once the yogurt is well blended, add the protein powder.  Stir until well combined.  Then fold in the chocolate chips.
5. Line a muffin pan with paper liners.  Using a spoon, evenly portion the batter between cups.  Bake at 350 F for approximately 20-25 minutes (15-18 minutes for mini muffins).  Allow to cool completely before storing.  Store in an airtight container  in the fridge.  Enjoy!