Do you remember when muffins were considered so healthy?  Everyone is trying to stay away from carbs now, especially the gluten variety, so muffin recipes are not as common as they were.  I have gluten sensitivity and so I watch how much flour I ingest.  I love bread and pasta but I try to not overdo their consumption on a regular basis.  I will try to incorporate more gluten-free recipes in the future, but not today.

I have two Banana Muffin recipes to share in this post.  Both of them have olive oil in them instead of butter, that elevates them a little higher in the “healthy scale”.  I used to make Banana Muffins for husband on a weekly basis and they were low in sugar and fats but it’s been a while and I’ve forgotten the recipe.  No matter, if you are looking for a healthier alternative for a muffin the second recipe will do the trick.  It has no sugar, no butter and it has oatmeal.

The whole healthy eating subject is driving me pretty crazy lately.  There are so many theories out there and they are so contradictory and confusing.  It’s 2017 and we don’t have an exact science on what we should be eating.  There’s the protein, fat and few carb diet, vegetarian diet, the vegan one, the calories in – calories out diet, the fasting one, the intermittent fasting diet, the organic nutrient rich diet… Should I go on?  I’m all for eliminating processed foods.  Although, I don’t always count my frozen yogurt as processed… but it is.  Or my mayo… it is.  I try to keep everything on a wholesome and fresh scale but as you can see, I do make exceptions.  One thing I do know and that is SUGAR is the devil.  I can’t live with it and I can’t live without it.  I just know that the less sugar I consume, the better I feel.

I am a little late starting my resolutions this year.  I usually try to start on the first or second.  And yes, they don’t last more than one month if I’m lucky.  This year, I am trying to really prepare myself for the long haul and so I am researching, planning and getting it together before I start.  I’m, also, being a little more gentle with myself and not going full speed ahead.  I’ll let you know how it goes.  How are your resolutions going?  Do you have any?  Leave me a comment.  Maybe we can help each other succeed.  Meanwhile, see if you like these muffins.

Best Ever Banana Muffins adapted from FOOD.com

Ingredients

3 ripe Bananas

1 1/2 cups unbleached Flour

1 tsp. Baking Powder

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1 1/2 cups Sugar

1/2 tsp. Salt

1/3 cup Olive Oil

1 Egg, slightly beaten

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Grease a 12 muffin pan.

Mash the Bananas with a fork and incorporate them into the eggs with a whisk.

Add the Sugar and stir in.     Add the Olive Oil and stir.

Add Flour and blend.

Fill the muffin tins and bake for 20 minutes.

Maple-Sweetened Banana Muffins from cookieandkate.com

Ingredients

1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/2 cup Maple Syrup

3 Eggs at room temperature

3 ripe Bananas

1/4 cup Milk

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

1/2 tsp. Salt

1/2 tsp. Cinnamon

1 3/4 cups White Whole Wheat Flour or Regular Whole Wheat Flour

1/3 cup Old-Fashion Oats, plus more for sprinkling on top

1 tsp. Turbinado Sugar or granulated Sugar, for sprinkling on top

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Grease 11 cups of your muffin tin.

In a large bowl, beat the Olive Oil and Maple Syrup together with a whisk.

Lightly beat Eggs.  Add Bananas and whisk well. Mix in Milk, followed by the Baking Soda, Vanilla Extract, Salt and Cinnamon.

Add the flour and oats to the bowl and mix with a large spoon, just until combined.

Divide the batter evenly between the 11 muffin cups, filling each cup about two-thirds full. Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with a small amount of oats (about 1 tablespoon), followed by a light sprinkling of sugar (about 1 teaspoon).

Bake muffins for 23 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.

Place the muffin tin on a cooling rack to cool.

         vs.      

Best Ever Banana Muffins have 249 Calories, 7.6 g. of Fat, 43 g. of Carbs, 3.4 g. of Protein per muffin.

Maple Sweetened Banana Muffins have 233 Calories, 8.8 g. of Fat, 35.7 g. of Carbs, 5.3 g. of Protein per muffin.

As you compare the nutritional values of each recipe, they are pretty much the same.   Here is where the argument of healthy eating comes in.  The Maple Sweetened Banana Muffins, in my opinion, are healthier because of the whole grains and the absence of sugar.  Maple Syrup doesn’t lower the grams of sugar in a recipe but, in my opinion, is healthier because it is not as processed.  They both have olive oil which brings a healthier aspect to both.  Hope you try them and leave me a comment.

Happy New Year!  Good luck on your resolutions and remember to eat well, drink well and live well.