Clean Eating Strawberry Banana Muffins

Omgosh I didn't think this day would ever come. Last night I wore my first sundress of the season. WITH flops. Yes. It was just days ago that I was wearing my Northface jacket, jeans, and long sleeves; thank the weather gods for finally giving us some warm weather and sunshine. The temperature is expected to reach close to 90 degrees in the DC area tomorrow, so we might just skip right over spring and go straight to summer--you won't hear any complaints from this girl. As long as I get to wear my dresses and flops, I'm happy happy.

With the sudden change in weather, I'm immediately reminded that bathing suit season is right around the corner. This is both good and bad: good because pools open, skin gets some much needed color, and it's more fun to drink a margarita in a bathing suit than jeans and boots; bad because those last few pesky pounds and muscles that need toning have less time to get in tip top shape.

Well I have one recipe that will help get your eating in line. These Clean Eating Strawberry Banana Muffins are the perfect breakfast, snack, or light dessert to eat when you are trying to control your appetite and calorie intake. Have you heard about clean eating? This lifestyle adjustment is centered around the idea of eliminating processed foods and refined sugars from your diet. That means no granulated or brown sugar, no white bread/pasta/rice, no store bought cookies/crackers/chips/snacks, and no ingredients with added chemicals or sugars. When I first tried clean eating a few years ago, I had to completely change my grocery store shopping habits. While it was a huge transition, the results made the struggles worth it. Along with these muffins, I plan on sharing a few more clean eating recipes with y'all to show you how easy clean eating can be.

But for now, let's get back to these easy and delicious muffins. This recipe is probably very similar to other low-fat muffin recipes that you've seen, except these do not call for sugar, salt, or all-purpose flour. By using ingredients that are considered "clean", these muffins are even better for your body and metabolism. And, there are no obscure ingredients that require you to go to a special store or order online! All of these ingredients can be found in your local grocery store. So, if you are looking for an easy, sweet but not to sweet, fresh muffin recipe to help you take that last step towards achieving your weight goal, give these muffins a try!

Clean Eating Strawberry Banana Muffins (adapted from The Gracious Pantry)
(12 muffins)

1 egg
1/2 cup honey
2 Tbsp safflower oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/4 cup nonfat plain Chobani yogurt
2 ripe bananas, mashed
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin pan with muffin liners or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

Add the egg, honey, oil, vanilla, almond milk, yogurt, and mashed bananas to a mixing bowl. Stir ingredients together until combined. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon and mix all of the ingredients together until no lumps remain. Be careful not to overmix. Fold in sliced strawberries.

Divide batter among muffin liners. Fill each muffin liner about 3/4 full. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the muffins in pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Print this recipe!

Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 12
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 161.0
Total Fat: 3.2 g
Cholesterol: 15.5 mg
Sodium: 13.7 mg
Total Carbs: 31.6 g
Fiber: 3.1 g
Sugars: 14.6 g
Protein: 4.2 g

Pros:
-Very easy recipe
-Minimal dishes to clean
-Great for breakfast, a snack, or light dessert
-Good-for-you recipe without obscure ingredients
-Versatile-add different fresh or dried fruit based on what you have on hand

Cons:
-Aren't as rich and moist as traditional muffins--but what truly healthy things are?! And this is also a pro since they aren't as overly sweet and dense (unless you have a thing for super sweet, pound cake-like muffins)