Don’t let the unique color of these muffins scare you! The green hue comes from baby spinach that’s smoothly blended into the batter, which has such a mild flavor that you can hardly tell it’s there. Instead, you get a tender banana-flavored muffin with a hint of “freshness” and the added bonus of some vitamins and minerals thrown in!
Ingredients
- 1½ cups (121 g) rolled oats (quick or old-fashioned)
- 3 tbsp (21 g) ground flaxseed
- 2 tsp (8 g) baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- 2 medium-sized ripe bananas (about 1 cup [200 g])
- 1½ cups (42 g) fresh baby spinach
- 6 tbsp (96 g) almond butter
- 5 tbsp (107 g) honey
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup (90 g) chocolate chips, optional (for refined sugar–free, leave them out)
How to Make It
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and prepare a muffin pan by lining the cavities with parchment paper liners. Set aside.
- Add the oats, ground flaxseed, baking powder, baking soda and salt to a high-speed blender, and process on high for about 10 seconds or until the oats have broken down into the consistency of a fine flour.
- Add all of the remaining ingredients except for the chocolate chips, if using, and process on high for about 30–40 seconds or until the batter becomes smooth and creamy. Periodically stop and scrape down the sides of your blender, as necessary. Finally, if using, fold in the chocolate chips by hand.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each one about ¾ of the way full. Sprinkle the tops with additional chocolate chips, if using.
- Bake for 18–20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. As soon as they’ve cooled, transfer them to an airtight container and store them at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
