I think I’ve discovered my new obsession: mini muffins!
When I was down in Seattle I bought a mini-muffin tin. I love muffins but they’re essentially like eating cakes, so I figured that having them in smaller form seems to be a better way of practicing portion control than my usual method of eating half a muffin, then really wanting the second half and capitulating ten minutes later (unless I get carried away and inhale multiple because they’re so small.) Also, as soon as anything goes mini, it gets way cuter. Trust me.
As per usual, my procrastination often takes the form of baking, so I decided to take a break from my homework and try out my new pan. As I said, I tend to devour muffins like they’re the last food on earth, so I wanted to make something a bit healthier so that I at least reaped some nutritional benefits while shoving them into my mouth two at a time.
Enter: banana chia nut mini muffins!
This was a super easy recipe, but I don’t feel too guilty about eating them because they have some pretty good stuff in there – chia seeds and nonfat greek yogurt being my personal all-stars. And even better – they are absolutely DELICIOUS. Nommmmmmmmmm.
I found the recipe online at Ingredients Inc, but I’ve pasted it here for your viewing pleasure.
Chia Banana-Nut Muffins
Makes 48 mini-muffins – not sure about regular sized
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt – I just used normal salt
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 large eggs
11/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)
1 (6-ounce) container nonfat Greek yogurt (I used vanilla because that’s all I had, but plain would be fine too)
1 to 2 tablespoons chia seeds
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, butter, eggs, bananas, yogurt, chia seeds, vanilla and walnuts, if desired, in a large bowl, mixing well. Pour batter into lightly greased muffin pans coated with cooking spray. (My note: She says to mix well, but muffins tend to get hard if you mix them too long. Personally, I mixed all the wet ingredients in one bowl, the dry ingredients in another, and then folded the two together until it was just combined.)
3. Bake at 350° for 22 to 25 minutes for regular muffins and 13-15 minutes for mini muffins or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pans. Cool completely on wire rack.
Which one is not like the other?
My peace-sign of a mixing bowl.
Proceed to devour.
The only thing I can think of when I look at these things is the word “twee.” They are just so damn cute. It’s ridiculous.
sj 