This is the final installment of our September Smarty Cooking School series on Speedy School Day Breakfast Ideas. This is my effort to help parents speed up their morning routine with delicious and healthy breakfast options, so they can slow down once they get out the door. One rushing driver caused the family of Charlotte City Council Tariq Bohkari a harrowing accident on the morning of their son’s first day of kindergarten. Thankfully they escaped without serious injuries. Read about that, and the reasoning behind the series here.
This week features banana muffins! Muffins don’t have to lead to sugar crashes. They can be loaded with fiber and other healthy nutrients. They also reheat well for a comforting and filling meal, especially when paired with a cold glass of milk. My daughter likes to pack frozen ones for a school snack. They thaw by the time she’s ready to eat.
Banana (or Strawberry Jam or Pumpkin Chocolate Chip) Muffins
Yield: 24 muffins
Dry Ingredients
1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
1 ½ cups all purpose flour
½ cup brown sugar
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
Wet Ingredients
⅓ cup melted, cooled butter
¼ cup honey
⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce
4 large eggs, beaten
6 ripe bananas
Optional Mix-Ins
½ cup chopped walnuts
⅓ cup chocolate chips
Directions
– Preheat oven to 400.
– Combine dry ingredients in mixing bowl. In separate mixing bowl, combine wet ingredients.
– Pour wet into dry, stirring just to combine. If using mix-ins, stir those in now.
– Pour into 2 (one dozen) lined muffin tins.
– Place 1 tin on top rack and other tin on middle rack. Cook 15 minutes, swapping racks halfway through cooking time.
– Lower heat to 375. Cook 10 more minutes, swapping racks halfway through cooking time.
– Cool. Enjoy and freeze remainder.
Note: If you have all the pumpkin feels like me, you can even make a pumpkin chocolate chip muffin with this recipe as a base. I’ve also subbed out the banana for 2 cups of strawberry jam, such as this chia jam version. Silicone cupcake liners are easier to pull off after muffins cool and offer quicker clean up. The swapping of racks allows for even heating and a double batch, cooked simultaneously. Frozen bananas are fine. Just thaw them in a bowl of warm water while preparing the other ingredients.
