Sugarless Banana Blueberry Muffins for Kids
The never-ending battle of finding the perfect food to feed a child! I am constantly looking for something healthy, without sugar or processed ingredients, portable, and filling. I always have bananas around and I cannot seem to find enough ways to use them because they go bad so quickly. I usually freeze them BUT now my freezer is full of bananas. Anyone with kids will tell you that they always have bananas around because they are such an easy, portable, and healthy snack. They are great, but can be a bit messy and not super filling. I started feeding my baby these "cereal" bars, but the ingredient list was super long and it had a good amount of sugar in it. I thought that a healthy muffin would be an easy way to use the bananas and replace the bars.
These muffins aren't the typical sweet muffin you are used to, but they are great for kids. They are soft and packed with good ingredients. Bananas and blueberries are two things my son loves to eat. For some extra protein I added in unsweetened greek yogurt and oatmeal for fiber. I carry these in a sealed bag or container for when we go out and about. They taste rich from the butter and yogurt as well as fresh from the bananas and have a pop of bright flavor from the blueberries. I started feeding these to my son recently (about 12 months old), but these would be good for babies starting as early as 10 months. Be sure to talk to your doctor about all of the ingredients in case your child has any allergies.
Banana Blueberry Muffins
*makes 12 regular size muffins*
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups uncooked oatmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2-3 ripe bananas
3/4 cup 2% greek yogurt; room temperature
1 egg; room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup unsalted (organic) butter; melted and cooled
1 cup blueberries; fresh or frozen
How To:
*Preheat oven to 375 degrees
*Place the bananas in a bowl and use a fork to smash them until well mashed
*Add in the greek yogurt, vanilla, and butter
*Crack the egg into a small bowl and whisk
*Add the egg into the banana mixture and stir together until all of the ingredients are well combined
*In a large bowl combine the flour, oatmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon
*Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture slowly being careful to not over-mix
*Place the blueberries in a small bowl and toss with a little bit of whole wheat flour
*Add the blueberries into the batter and use a spatula to fold them in
*Place baking cups (aka muffin liners) into the muffin pan
*Use a large scoop (or spoon) to fill each baking cup with batter
*Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the middle is set and a toothpick comes out clean
To freeze bananas you can cut them and place them in a sealed freezer safe container. Make sure to label them and use within a couple months.