Healthy Banana Oat Muffins

These little babies are easy to make, so good for you and taste delicious.  I dreamt these up a couple years ago when searching for a healthy snack for my kids, I wanted something I could keep in the freezer to pop out whenever a quick snack was needed or something to go in school lunches.  The great thing about these is you take a few out in the morning to put into a lunch and by lunch time they are thawed and ready to eat.

I just made a batch of these and decided to calculate the calories, fat and fiber.  When you make them into mini muffins, which I always do, considering four of them is a serving size, I came up with 128 calories, less than 1 gram of fat and 4 grams of fiber, for 4 mini muffins!  I figured that a regular size muffin is about two to three of the small ones.  So really this is a great little snack that leaves absolutely no guilt.  Give them a try!  You kids and your waistline will thank you for it!

Healthy Banana Oat Muffins

From: Meg @ Back Pocket Creations

Time: 25 minutes

Servings: About 55 mini muffins or 22 regular muffins

Print Recipe

1 1/2 C whole wheat flour

1 C rolled quick oats

1/2 C sugar

1 t cinnamon

2 t baking powder

1 t Baking soda

1/2 t salt

1 egg

3/4 C skim milk

1/3 C apple sauce

1 t vanilla extract

1 c mashed banana (about 3 medium sized)

Pre-heat oven to 375.  Coat muffin tin with cooking spray ( recommend the baking kind, but the regular kind will work too) or line with muffin liners

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, oats, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In another large bowl, beat the egg slightly, then add the rest of the ingredients and combine throughly.  Stir the flour mixture into the banana mixture just until combined, using a cookie scoop for mini muffins or an ice cream scoop for regular muffins, gently scoop the batter out and pour into each individual cup.

Bake for 9-12 minutes for mini muffins and 17-20 for regular muffins or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Allow to cool in pan for about 5 minutes and then remove to cool completely.  Enjoy now or toss into a freezer bag and freeze for a quick, healthy, delicious snack that your kids are going to love!

Banana Bread Bundt

I love banana bread, but hate to make it.  Whenever I have a bunch of bananas getting bad I think "Oh, I should make banana bread" but I rarely follow through.  It seems like so many ingredients and it makes such a mess in my kitchen, that I usually don't bother.  Well, this recipe is easy peasy lemon squeezie thanks to a cake mix and it taste just as good, if not a little better than any other recipe I have tried.  This is very moist and delicious!

Banana Bread Bundt

From: Real Mom Kitchen

Yields: 16 servings

Time: 10 minutes prep and 1 hour baking time

Print Recipe

1 (18.25 oz) box yellow cake mix
1 (3.4 oz) pkg banana cream flavored instant pudding **
4 eggs
1 cup water
1/4 cup canola oil
1 cup mashed bananas (about 3)
1/2 t cinnamon

1/2 t nutmeg

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and Flour a bundt pan.
In a large bowl, add all ingredients but the walnuts.  Blend with a mixer on low for 30 seconds then on medium speed for 2 minutes.
Fold the nuts into the batter and pour into the bundt pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 55-65 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the bread comes out clean.
Allow bread to cool in the bundt pan for 10 minutes then invert onto onto cooling rack.

** vanilla pudding can be substituted

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

I know what your thinking, banana and chocolate... gross!  I thought the same thing before my sister made me try these cookies.  Maybe its the fact that I don't like bananas, or maybe that I love plain chocolate chip cookies... why mess with a good thing, right?!  But I am telling you, these are that good!

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies
Servings: 3 dozen
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Bake Time: 10-12 min


2 1/4 Cups Flour
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 C. Butter
3/4 C. Brown Sugar
1/4 C. Sugar
3.4 oz Packet of Banana Pudding
2 Eggs
1 tsp. Vanilla
2 Cups Chocolate Chips (milk chocolate)

1.  Combine flour and baking soda in a mixing bowl and set aside.

2.  In a mixing bowl, beat together softened butter, brown sugar, and white sugar.

3.  Continue to beat butter mixture and add pudding, eggs and vanilla.  Continue to beat mixture until nice and smooth.

4.  Slowly add flour mixture to the butter mixture and continue to beat for about a minute.

5.  Stir chocolate chips into cookie mixture.

6.  Roll into balls and place on greased cookie sheet.

7. Bake at 350 degrees from 10-12 minutes.