Mini Healthy Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

You can tell how stoked I am about these muffins because they were made just 15 minutes ago and already I am posting this recipe! It would have been even earlier then that but it took those 15 minutes to let them cool a tad, then devour two of them while my camera card loaded into my computer! I make it a habit to buy a couple more bananas then I ever really need so when I see them turn extra brown it gives me the perfect excuse to make banana bread. I also like to keep a small carton of buttermilk on hand for baking (perfect for cornbread, scones, pancakes and any other muffins). Living and cooking for myself I've wanted to have recipes that can make just two cookies or two brownies when you have that craving but dont want to eat consume the whole batch yourself! Well this recipe is perfect, it will either make about 4 regular size muffins or 12 mini ones. I'm also very wary when tweaking recipes to make them healthier because I find that when you cut out the fat, baking can lose that fluffy texture and almost have that dry heavy bouncy texture. Not the case with these!! They are soo fluffy, moist and satisfying. A good tip for making healthier banana bread or muffins is to let your bananas ripen until they are almost black brown, the more sweet the banana is the less sugar you need to add. With two of these muffins I folded rolled oats into the batter and they tasted so good! It gave the muffin a bit of extra texture and chewiness and makes the mini muffin last longer and feel more satisfying. Now if you will excuse me, I just might have to go eat another one...

I took a pic with my cell so you can see the size comparison

Mini Healthy Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

(Makes 12 mini muffins or 4 regular size muffins)

1/8 cup plus 1 tbsp all purpose flour

3/8 cup whole wheat flour

1/8 unrefined rapadura sugar (or brown sugar)

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

pinch of salt

1/2 cup mashed very ripe banana (1 large banana)

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp unsweetened apple sauce

1 1/2 tbsp buttermilk

1 large egg yolk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/8 cup dark chocolate chips (roughly chopped)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a bowl combine both flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

2. In another bowl combine banana, sugar, olive oil, apple sauce, buttermilk, egg yolk and vanilla.

3. Add dry ingredients to banana mixture. Fold in chocolate chips.

4. Bake 12 minutes (for mini muffins) or until toothpick comes out clean.

*Note according to calorie counter one of these mini muffins equal 59 calories and one regular size muffin equals 176 calories*