Whole-Wheat Monkey Muffins

I have a delicious breakfast treat for you today that both kids and adults will love!  These muffins (I can’t take credit for the cute name) have peanut butter, bananas, and chocolate chips in them – they’re sooooo good!  The longer they cool, the more the peanut flavor comes out.   They’re perfect as a breakfast or as a mid-afternoon snack – either way, I highly recommend eating them with milk. :)

My son Luke still really struggles with food textures and gagging, but many breakfast foods are one thing he consistently can eat without trouble, so I am always on the lookout for healthy breakfast items for him.  Love that these have the vitamins of bananas and the protein of all-natural peanut butter in them!  (And no, it totally doesn’t stress me out that he’s getting some chocolate chips in there, too – means to an end, baby! lol)

Pssst: As with many quick breads and muffins, these can be made EGG-FREE if you need them to be!  Just sub the 2 eggs for flax eggs (ground flaxseed and water) – the recipe still comes out great!

 

 

Monkey Muffins

{Adapted from Taste of Home Fall Freezer Meals; Fall 2011}

1/2 C butter, softened
1 C sugar
2 eggs (or 2 “flax eggs”)
1 C mashed ripe bananas (give or take about 2 large bananas)
2/3 C 100% all-natural peanut butter
1 T milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

2 C white whole wheat flour (white whole wheat is lighter for baking)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

3/4 C chocolate chips (mini or regular size)

 

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in the bananas, peanut butter, milk and vanilla.  Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; add to creamed mixture just until moistened.  Fold in the chips. 

Fill greased (or paper-lined) mini muffin cups 3/4 full.*  Bake at 350 degrees for about 14-16 minutes (only 13 minutes in my oven) or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.  Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.  Serve warm. 

To freeze, wrap muffins in foil and freeze for up to 3 months.  When ready to eat, thaw at room temperature and warm if desired. 

*I like my mini-muffins a little bigger, so if you fill them all the way up you’ll probably need to cook for about an extra two minutes.   

Makes about 4 dozen mini-muffins (if you fill them up all the way like I do).

 

Enjoy them!

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