Description
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with these healthy spinach chocolate chip muffins that combine fresh spinach, ripe banana, and whole wheat flour for a nutritious treat. Naturally sweetened with honey or maple syrup and featuring a hint of cinnamon, these muffins are perfect for breakfast or a guilt-free snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh spinach (packed)
- 1 ripe banana
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- ½ cup rolled oats
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tbsp honey or maple syrup (for sweetness)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup dark chocolate chips (or mini chocolate chips)
- A few extra chocolate chips for topping
- Fresh mint leaves (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line or grease a muffin tin to prepare for baking.
- Blend wet ingredients and spinach: In a blender or food processor, combine the fresh spinach, ripe banana, egg, unsweetened applesauce, honey or maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Blend until smooth to create the wet base for the muffins.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together whole wheat flour, rolled oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon until evenly combined.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: Pour the spinach and banana mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir gently until just combined, taking care not to overmix the batter.
- Add chocolate chips: Fold in ¼ cup of dark chocolate chips, reserving a few for topping each muffin.
- Fill the muffin tin: Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared muffin cups, filling them about ¾ full. Sprinkle the reserved chocolate chips on top for an appealing finish.
- Bake the muffins: Place the muffin tin in the preheated oven and bake for about 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
- Cool and serve: Allow the muffins to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Garnish with fresh mint leaves if desired before serving.
Notes
- Ensure the spinach is fresh and tightly packed for best flavor and nutrition.
- Overripe bananas work best to add natural sweetness and moisture.
- You can substitute rolled oats with oat flour for a finer texture.
- For a vegan version, use a flax egg in place of the large egg and maple syrup instead of honey.
- Store muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage.
- Additional mix-ins like walnuts or dried cranberries can be added for extra texture and flavor.
