Healthy Banana Bran Muffins

My oldest loves banana muffins. We have a tried and true recipe that we all love but frankly, it's not that healthy so I wanted to branch out and try some something new.

Something at least that sounded healthier.

I loved bran muffins growing up. I can't really remember why but they have always reminded me of home and being delicious. And I confess, I have never made them as an adult.

So I decided to rectify the situation and see if these would pass my oldest son's scrutiny and my memory of those amazing things from my youth.

We all really loved these muffins. Especially warm out of the oven with butter. The texture was great and they were moist with a wonderful banana flavor. Plus now we have a new banana muffin on our repertoire. Sweet!

Healthy Banana Bran Muffins

(click here for printable version)

2 tbsp butter, softened
1/3 cup applesauce
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
3 medium ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
4 cups bran flakes
1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a muffin pan with paper cups. Set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, applesauce and sugar. Add the eggs, bananas and buttermilk and mix well. Add flour, baking soda, salt, bran flakes and chocolate chips. Mix just until no dry streaks remain, batter will be lumpy.

3. Fill prepared muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake for 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool 5 minutes or remove to a wire rack to cool completely. These muffins freeze great in a air tight sealed ziploc bag. Enjoy!

Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Raspberry Cream Cheese Buns

How was your Easter? Ours was fabulous. We hung out with some family, ate some delicious food, and pondered on what a beautiful, special day it was.

This little beauty was consumed while we hung out.  Not for breakfast though.  Sometimes muffins are so sweet that I think they need to be served for treats so that's what these babies were.

Everyone enjoyed them immensely, especially my kiddos.  I think it's because of the raspberry jam.

Anytime I pull the raspberry jam out of the freezer they almost go nuts.  I don't know what it is about it but raspberry is their very favorite.  It's the hubs least favorite (he hates the seeds that get stuck in your teeth) so the kids have this jam pretty much to themselves. 

And that makes these muffins even easier. It's just raspberry jam swirled on top.  Easy peasy. And absolutely scrumptious (and because cream cheese always makes things taste better).

Raspberry Cream Cheese Buns

(click here for printable version)

1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup raspberry preserves
Glaze: (optional)
1 tbsp butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 milk

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin tins with paper liners. Set aside.

2. In a small bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside.

3. In a large bowl beat cream cheese, butter, and sugar until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. Add dry ingredients to cream cheese mixture in 2 parts, alternating with milk and vanilla, and only stirring until no dry streaks remain. Fill each muffin tin 2/3 full. Drop a teaspoon of raspberry preserves on top of each bun and using the tip of a knife to swirl it into the batter.

4. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes clean.  Cool for 30 minutes before removing from muffin tin. Drizzle with glaze if wanted and enjoy!

5. To make the glaze whisk butter, powdered sugar, and milk in small bowl until smooth and adjusting milk and powdered sugar till your desired consistency is reached.

Chocolate Avocado Muffins

Yep--avocado.

I know, weird. But the kids loved them.

Well as long as I didn't tell them what was in them.  

That is totally one of my pet peeves.  My kids could be merrily eating something, and enjoying it a lot I might add, and then they find out that there is something they "don't like" in it and they will immediately stop eating it and say it's gross and refuse to take another bite.

No matter how much I argue they won't listen to the fact that they were happy eating it before they found out.  The flavor has changed in the last 30 seconds, only the fact that they now know.  It's all in their head!!

I even try to warn the hubs before we are having something that has a questionable ingredient.  I say, "Please do not tell the kids what is in here."  Too many times he has mentioned something--not realizing the effects is will have on the kids-- and everything will be ruined.  So prevention is the best medicine.  

Anyways...these muffins have the secret ingredient that none of my kids like--avocados.  But guess what, they never guessed, and they ate all of them.  Even commented on how lucky they were to have chocolate for breakfast.  Silly kids!  So go ahead and try it.  The hubs swears you can't taste the avocado, just makes it very moist and delicious.

Chocolate Avocado Muffins

(click here for printable version)


1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup applesauce
1 tsp vanilla
1 ripe avocado, smashed
1/3 cup yogurt
2/3 cup milk
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 cup flour
1 cup mini chocolate chips

*Note: These are best made the night before.  Let them sit overnight in a sealed container and they will be perfect for breakfast.

1.  Preheat oven to 400°F and line your cupcake pan with liners.  Set aside.

2.  In a mixing bowl, cream the coconut oil and sugar until completely combined. Add the applesauce, vanilla, yogurt and smashed avocado and beat until creamy. Whisk together all the dry ingredients in another bowl. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk to the mixture, slowly beating it in. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand. Divide the batter into your prepared muffin liners. Bake for 26 minutes. Let cool for about 2 minutes in the pan and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. When cooled, store in a sealed container.  Enjoy!

Source: Inside Bru Crew Life

Cinnamon Roll Muffins

Now that school is in (and I have so much time to myself--not!!), we have begun the breakfast routine.

In the summer we pretty much take a break and whenever breakfast gets fixed (within a reasonable amount of time), is when we eat.  Now I have to have it ready by 7:30 am or we are late for school.

Because we tend to have the standards breakfasts all the time--I love to venture out and try something new for the kids.  Usually it's muffins, because it's easy to do in the morning.  Add some fruit or an egg and we are good to go.

Another favorite at this house is cinnamon rolls.  I don't make them that often, so they are consumed very quickly when I do.  This recipe intrigued me because it's a combination of the cinnamon roll and a muffin.  It does have more than the normal amount of steps, so you might want to try it for a weekend breakfast first.  The hubs and kids enjoyed them, but they did say regular cinnamon rolls were better.  Just sayin!

Cinnamon Roll Muffins

(click here for printable version)

Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup old fashioned oats
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3 Tbsp softened butter
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Filling:
3 tbsp softened butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar
3 tsp cinnamon
5 tsp water
Muffin:
1/2 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup milk
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
2 tbsp cornstarch
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tbsp softened butter
2 tbsp milk

1.  Preheat oven to 400°F.  Line muffin tin with cupcake liners, or spray with cooking spray. Set aside.

2.  To make the topping. in a small bowl mix all ingredients together with a fork until crumbly. Set aside.

3. To make the filling, in a small bowl mix all ingredients together until consistency is similar to a pudding. Set aside.

4.  To make the muffins, in a large bowl whisk together butter, milk and eggs. In another bowl combine flour, oats, cornstarch, sugar, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and white chips. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and stir until just combined.

5.  To assemble, using half the batter, fill each muffin tin with about 2 tbsp batter. Then drop 2 tsp of filling into each tin. Finish, by dropping another 2 Tbsp of batter on top. Depending on the size of the muffin tin, this makes about 12 muffins. Now sprinkle your topping evenly on the muffins, about a 1 tbsp on each.

6.  Bake 20-25 minutes or until centers are set. Remove and cool on wire rack.  While cooling, make the glaze. Combine butter, sugar and milk, stirring until there are no lumps, adding more powdered sugar or milk until desired consistency is reached. Drizzle on muffins when ready to serve.  Enjoy!

Source: Cookies and Cups

Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins

 Ahh...what a great weekend we had.  

My husband had a conference in Boise and I got to go with him.  I love times that we get to get away and spend some time without the kiddos.

He was in meetings all days for two days so I got do whatever the heck I wanted: read a book with no interruptions (heaven!!), watch some cooking shows (with no "this is boring, why can't we change the channel"), take a nap, or soak in the tub (with no knocking and asking for help with something).

Amazing!

I think being a mom makes you appreciate being able to do nothing at all.  No one to get a drink for, no one to fix a snack for, no one to help wipe, no one that needed me for two straight days.

Now don't get me wrong, I love my kids and I love going to back to them, but it's this kind of stuff that makes me a better mom and wife.  It makes me miss them and want to see them.  

And it makes me excited to get back to them and fix them some yummy food.  I love muffins and it's one of our favorite things in the mornings: muffins and some fruit.  I like to try out different ones and this turned out really good.  I would say that it's almost healthy.  Sweet!

Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins

(click here for printable version)

1 1/4 c, whole wheat flour

1 1/4 c. quick cooking oats

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 c. unsweetened applesauce

1/2 c. low-fat buttermilk

1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar

2 Tbsp. canola oil

1 large egg, lightly beaten

3/4 c. blueberries, fresh or frozen 

1. Preheat the oven to 375 °F.  Line a muffin pan with paper liners.  In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.  In another bowl combine the applesauce, buttermilk, brown sugar, oil and egg.  Make a well in the dry ingredients and add in the applesauce mixture.  Stir together just until all dry ingredients are incorporated.  Gently fold in the blueberries with a rubber spatula.

2.  Divide the batter evenly between the prepared muffin cups.  Bake for 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!

Source: Annie's Eats

Applesauce Muffins

You know us and breakfast--if you don't you're missing out-- and this is a staple at our house in the breakfast department.

I'm serious!  If you don't believe me you should see this page in my cookbook.  I can hardly read the ingredient list anymore.  Okay maybe I make a little bit of a mess I am perfectly clean when I'm cooking and never flip anything out of the bowl!!

I remember having these muffins when I was a little kid.  I loved the smell of the applesauce and cinnamon cooking and I always knew we were going to have a great breakfast.  Now I make them for my children and they love them too.  

Note: If you make the whole batch, it makes quite a lot, they are great frozen and reheated.  It makes for a super quick breakfast in the morning with a little fruit or yogurt.

2/3 c. sugar

1/3 c. butter

1 egg

1/4 c. honey

1/2 c. milk

2 c. all purpose flour

1 t. baking powder

1 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

1 t. cinnamon

1/4 t. cloves

1 c. applesauce

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line a muffin pan with liners, set aside.  In a medium bowl, cream sugar and butter.  Add egg and mix well.  Add honey, milk, and all dry ingredients and mix until well blended.  Stir in applesauce, just until blended.  Fill each muffin cup 2/3 full.  Bake for 18-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Let sit a few minutes before serving.  Enjoy!


Sharing this with: Katie's Cucina, Simply Sweet Home, Frou Frou Decor, Fingerprints on the Fridge, Paisley Passions, Be Different Act Normal, Quit Eating Out, Sweet as Sugar Cookies.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins

This is a new favorite at our house.  They are absolutely delicious and perfect for the fall!  They are soft, flavorful, and delectable. It has a pumpkin base with a yummy cheesecake center and is topped with a cinnamon-sugar topping that all combines for an amazing flavor.  A note: make sure you make the filling ahead of time because it needs to freeze for a couple hours before putting in the muffins.  These are also excellent the next day!

Filling:

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 c. powdered sugar

Muffins:

3 c. flour

1 t. ground cinnamon

1 t. ground nutmeg

1 t. ground cloves

1 T. plus 1 t. pumpkin pie spice

1 t. salt

1 t. baking soda

4 eggs

2 c. sugar

2 c. pumpkin puree

1¼ c. vegetable oil

Topping:

½ c. sugar

5 T. flour

1½ t. ground cinnamon

4 T. cold, cut into pieces

1.  To prepare the filling, combine the cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl and mix well until blended and smooth.  Transfer the mixture to a piece of plastic wrap and shape into a log about 1½-inches in diameter.  Smooth the plastic wrap tightly around the log, and reinforce with a piece of foil.  Transfer to the freezer and chill until at least slightly firm, at least 2 hours.

2.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line muffin pans with paper liners.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, pumpkin pie spice, salt and baking soda; whisk to blend.  In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the eggs, sugar, pumpkin puree and oil.  Mix on medium-low speed until blended.  With the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated.

3.  To make the topping, combine the sugar, flour and cinnamon in a small bowl; whisk to blend.  Add in the butter pieces and cut into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender or two forks until the mixture is coarse and crumbly.  Transfer to the refrigerator until ready to use.

4.  To assemble the muffins, fill each muffin cup with a small amount of batter, just enough to cover the bottom of the liner (about 2 T. or a medium scoop size).  Slice the log of cream cheese filling into 24 equal pieces.  Place a slice of the cream cheese mixture into the center of each muffin cup.  Divide the remaining batter among the muffin cups (about 2 T. in each muffin cup or the size of a medium scoop), placing on top of the cream cheese to cover completely.  Sprinkle a small amount ( about 1-2 t.) of the topping mixture over each of the muffin cups.

5.  Bake for 20-25 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before serving.  (It may be hard to resist eating immediately, but the cream cheese filling gets very hot so please be careful!)

Source:  Annie's Eats

Sharing this at: Fireflies and Jellybeans, Frou Frou Decor, Sugar Bananas.

Almond Poppyseed Muffins

My friend Michelle gave me a great new cookbook and we have been trying several new recipes from it.  This was one of the first that we tried.  My kids love poppyseed muffins, especially the Costco variety, so when I saw this I thought maybe I could start making them instead of buying them.  I need to work a little more with the recipe, though.  I think the almond needs to be a little stronger (see below) and it was a little too airy for my tastes.  But my kids and my hubby liked them and they were perfect with fruit.  

1 3/4 c. flour

1/2 t. salt

2 T. poppy seeds

1 t. baking powder

1/2 c. butter

1 c. sugar

1 t. almond extract (the original recipe calls for 1/2 t., so if you don't like almond very much I would stick with that)

2 eggs

1/2 c. milk

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, poppy seeds, and salt. In a separate medium bowl, cream butter, sugar and almond extract until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs, one at a time, until well mixed.

2.  Slowly add dry ingredients to the butter mixture just until moistened.  Add milk and stir until barely combined.  Pour into greased (or lined) muffin pan.

3.  Bake for 18-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Let cool 5 minutes before serving.  Best when served warm.

Raspberry Sourcream Muffins

 

These were so delicious.  I found the recipe here and it called for blueberries, but we changed to raspberries because my yay-hoos like that a lot better.  Feel free to substitute any frozen berry.  The sour cream makes it very moist and the topping is totally optional.  I usually leave it off if I am making it for breakfast (makes me feel healthier :)

Muffins:

2 c. flour

1 T. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

2 large eggs

1 c. sugar

4 T. butter, melted

1 1/4 c. sour cream

1 1/2 c. fozen raspberries

Topping:

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 t. cinnamon

4 T. butter

* Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease or put cupcake liners in 2 muffin pans.  In medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.  In large bowl, whisk eggs until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.  Add sugar and whisk 30 more seconds.  Add melted butter, whisking vigorously. Add sour cream and whisk until just combined.

*  Add frozen berries to flour mixture and gently toss to combine. Add to wet mixture and fold with rubber spatula until batter comes together and till berries are evenly distributed.  Batter will be really thick but do not over mix.  Fill muffin cups 2/3 full and cook for 18-20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 5 minutes.

*  While cooling, mix sugar and cinnamon in small bowl.  Melt butter in another small bowl.  After muffins have cooled 5 minutes, one at a time, dip top of muffin in butter and then sugar/cinnamon mixture.  Set upright on wire rack and cool.

Orange Muffins with Brown Sugar Glaze

I found this on Pioneer Woman and have loved it.  Because we hardly ever eat cereal for breakfast in the morning, I am always looking for something new to feed the kids that is quick, yummy and healthy (most of the time anyway).  This definitely a keeper.

1 c. sugar

1 c. butter, softened

2 eggs

1 c. buttermilk (or 1 T. vinegar + just under 1 c. milk)

1 t. baking soda

2 c. flour

Grated rind of 2 oranges

Juice of 2 oranges

1 c. brown sugar

*  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Cream butter and sugar together in medium bowl.  Add eggs and mix well.  Dissolve baking soda in buttermilk and pour in mixing bowl.  Add flour and orange rind, mix well.  Line muffin pan with liners and fill 2/3 full.  Bake 17-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Remove.

*  Combine brown sugar and orange juice in small bowl.  Drizzle over muffins. Remove muffins from pan and eat warm.

Banana Muffins

We love our muffins at our house.  This is my youngest son's favorite.

1 c. bananas (2-3 medium), mashed

1 c. sugar

1 c. Mayo, the real stuff works the best

1 1/3 c. white flour

2/3 c. wheat flour

1 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

1/2 c. chocolate chips

* Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In medium bowl mix bananas, sugar and mayo.  In seperate bowl mix white and wheat flour, baking powder, salt and chocolate chips.  Mix into banana mixture, JUST until moist.  Fill muffin cups 2/3's full and bake for 20 minutes.

Wheat Muffins

This is my 2 year olds favorite breakfast.  Great with fruit.

2 c. whole wheat flour

1 c. brown sugar

1/4 t. salt

1 t. baking soda

1/2 c. butter, melted

1 c. milk

1 egg

1 t. vanilla

* Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

* In medium bowl mix flour, sugar, salt and baking soda together.  In small bowl melt butter and add milk, egg and vanilla.  Stir into dry ingredients until just moistened. 

*Line muffin pan with liners and fill 3/4 full (large scoop works great).  Bake for 20 mins.  Serve warm.

Homemade English Muffins

We love breakfast at our house and this is one of our favorites.  Thanks Jeanene for the recipe.

6 c. flour

2 T. instant yeast

1 T. salt

1/2 c. dry milk

1 T. sugar

2 c. warm water

1/2 c. oil

1 c. sourdough starter (recipe below to make your own)

cornmeal

* In large bowl mix flour, yeast, salt, dry milk and sugar.  Add all at once, warm water, oil and starter.  Mix well and let rest 10 mins.  Roll out on well floured surface to 1/2 inch thick.  Cut into circles.  Heat electric fry pan to 350 degrees and sprinkle cornmeal on bottom.  Place muffins in pan and cover with lid.  Bake on each side 7 mins and then remove to wire cooling rack.  Makes about 2 1/2 dzn.  This recipe also works great when cut in half.  They also freeze well.

Sourdough Starter

2 c. flour

2 c. warm water

1 pck. or 1 1/2 T. dry yeast

* Mix ingredients in glass bowl with wooden spoon (no metal spoons or bowls).  Keep in warm place overnight (kitchen counter works great).  Next morning you can save some for next time by putting 1 c. in glass bowl, covering and putting it in the refrigerator.  The remaining batter can be used immediately for pancakes, muffins, breads, etc.

* A note on activating the remaining starter.  To activate it, add warm milk or water.  More flour than liquid.  Aprox. 1 c. liquid to 1 1/2 c. flour.  Stir well and wait till bubbly.