Healthy Banana Muffins

These Healthy Banana Muffins are a great snack for kids because they’re sweetened only with fruit and they’re full of vegetables and whole grains! They’re the perfect healthy snack for on-the-go and they make a great addition to healthy school lunches.

 

Estimated reading time: 10 minutes

Not all muffins are created equally, and these Healthy Banana Muffins are on the opposite end of the spectrum from those bakery-style cake-like muffins that are basically dessert. These healthy muffins are made with shredded veggies, mashed bananas, and whole grains, and they’re refined sugar-free, making them a super wholesome and nutritious snack that will keep you satisfied. If you’re looking for a healthy alternative to a conventional muffin that’s diabetic friendly, great for young kids, or perfect for anyone on a low-sugar diet, these healthy banana muffins are the recipe you need!

There are so many reasons why we LOVE these healthy muffins for kids! Here are just a few:

1. They are full of HEALTHY INGREDIENTS – These healthy banana muffins are packed with shredded vegetables and sweetened with fruit. They contain tons of fibre and healthy whole grains.
2. They are SUGAR FREE – There is no refined sugar in these healthy muffins and they get their sweetness from bananas. This makes them a perfect healthy option for babies or toddlers, or anyone on a sugar-free diet.
3. They make the BEST SNACK – These muffins are a great snack for kids and adults alike, and a great healthy option for school lunches, since they don’t contain nuts or many other common allergens.
4. They are EASY to make – The muffin batter comes together in one bowl and bakes to perfection.

Try these tips to make the BEST sugar free muffins you’ve ever made!

Read the recipe in its entirety before you begin and make sure you have all the ingredients. You can even measure out the ingredients in advance before you combine them. This can help you measure accurately.

It is important to bake your muffins right after you mix them since mixing the wet and dry ingredients activates the leavening agent. Preheat your oven first so you don’t have to wait for it to heat up after you’ve mixed. This will help the muffins bake up nice and fluffy.

Liquid should be measured in a liquid measuring cup, NOT a measuring cup used for dry ingredients like flour or sugar. Measuring the liquid correctly can prevent you from adding too much, which makes the muffins dense and heavy.

You might be tempted to substitute some of the grated veggies for fruit or add raisins or nuts, but be careful not to make too many changes to the recipe. Adding up to 3/4 cup of add-ins is fine, but substituting ingredients might change the outcome of the recipe as different ingredients have different levels of moisture.

When mixing your dry and wet ingredients together, mix only until the flour disappears (about 8-10 turns of mixing spoon when mixing by hand). This helps the muffins stay fluffy and soft, and prevents tunnelling (large holes left from bubbles in the batter).

If you want your muffins to bake evenly, divide the batter as evenly as you can between the muffin cups.

Resist the urge to eat your muffins hot from the oven. Letting them cool for several minutes (10 minutes or more is best) will help them keep their shape and texture – muffins actually continue baking on the inside for several minutes after they’ve been removed from the oven.

If you are having trouble with this healthy banana muffin recipe, follow the solutions we recommend below.

Over-mixing can lead to dense muffins. Make sure to fold the wet and dry ingredients together just until the flour has disappeared.

These muffins will be more moist due to the veggies and fruit and no sugar but if they are too moist, it could be due to excess liquid from the zucchini, or excess liquid from using frozen bananas. We recommend using fresh brown bananas for this recipe, as frozen bananas, when thawed, have extra liquid that needs to be strained out before use. If the batter is too wet, then an extra few tablespoons of rolled oats or flour can absorb some of the extra liquid.

The muffins can become too dry and break apart when they are baked for too long or if the dry ingredients haven’t been measure properly. Make sure to check at the 15 minute mark and watch for the gold brown tops to tell when the muffins are done.

Let the muffins cool completely to room temperature before trying to store them. This will prevent them from becoming soggy, as they give off heat in a closed container.

When the oven is not preheated, the cold oven will cause the muffins to bake unevenly. Make sure to preheat the oven first before adding the muffins.

Sugar-free muffins can end up being bland, so make sure to add in the veggies and fruit mentioned in the recipe to give the flavour to the muffins. Don’t forget the salt, either – the salt helps bring out the natural sweetness of the fruit.

You’ll need these kitchen items on hand to make these healthy banana muffins (paid links):

• mixing bowls
• 24-cup muffin tin
• measuring cups and spoons
• Silicone Spatula
• wooden spoon
• Grater
• Cooling Racks
• liquid measuring cups

To make these sugar free muffins you will need these ingredients on hand (paid links):

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 large carrot approximately 3/4 cup grated
• 1/2 cup grated zucchini
• 1/2 cup grated apple
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 3 mashed bananas (approximately 3/4 cup) or 2 mashed bananas and 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

Try these simple variations on Toddler muffins!

1. Cinnamon or Nutmeg – Add cinnamon or nutmeg in to the batter for additional flavour and make a streusel topping made of rolled oats, coconut oil, and cinnamon.
2. Blueberry Oat – Add 1/2 cup fresh blueberries and lemon zest to the batter and sprinkle oats on top before baking .
3. Almond butter or natural peanut butter – Add in a few tablespoons of nut butter for added protein.

We hope you enjoy this recipe for Toddler Muffins! Let us know in the comments below, what’s your kids’ favourite healthy snack? We’d love to know!

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Watch the video below to see exactly how we make this recipe. You can find more delicious recipe videos on our YouTube channel.