Double Chocolate Almond Banana Muffins

So this morning I woke up and decided I wanted to bake banana muffins.

But the only problem is I am so sick of the 'same old-same old' banana muffins.  

You know, the banana bread with (maybe) some chocolate chips and pecans thrown into the mix.

Yeah, definitely wasn't feeling that this morning...

So what was I supposed to do in this sort of predicament?

Well, I did some research and came up with a delicious muffin that, I guarantee, will please you all...

Double Chocolate Almond Banana Muffins.

Chocolate banana bread with lots & lots of toasted almonds and milk chocolate chips.

Uhh yeah. Definitely not your average banana muffin... 

Its a banana muffin hyped up on chocolatey almond goodness... and you are going to love it.

I got this awesome banana chocolate muffin recipe from a great blog called Life Made Simple .  They got the recipe from Good Life Eats but adjusted it to their liking, just as I adjusted it to mine! :) 

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1/3 cup raw almonds, toasted and chopped 

1 cup & 2 1/2 TBS all-purpose flour

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1/3 granulated sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

a sprinkle of Cinnamon

1 banana, mashed

1/3 cup greek non-fat plain yogurt

4 TBS applesauce

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup milk chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 

 Place almonds onto a cookie sheet and bake for 5-8 minutes until toasted.  Set aside and cool.  Chop.  (I chopped some of the almonds into thin slices to top at the end!  This is optional.) 

 In a small bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon.

In a large bowl add the mashed banana, yogurt, applesauce, and egg. Whisk together just until combined.

Slowly add the dry into the wet ingredients, while whisking slowly.  Batter will get thick but keep mixing.  Only mix until all of the ingredients are combined.

 

 Fold in cooled chopped almonds and milk chocolate chips.

Line a muffin tray with cupcake liners and spray with non-stick baking spray.  Using a large scoop, evenly scoop batter and release in each cupcake liner.  The batter only allowed me to make 9 cupcakes.    

**This is when I used the slices of almonds and topped a few cupcakes with little flowers!** 

Bake for 20 minutes until they come out clean when stuck with a toothpick!  Enjoy! :)

Low Fat Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins with Pecan Streusel Topping

Something huuuuge happened this week....

Pumpkin Spice Lattes are back at Starbucks. [Yay!!]

Which only means one thing, of course...  Fall is around the corner!

This excites me for two reasons.. One being that Fall is my absolute favorite time of year, and two being that I love love love loveeee pumpkin spice lattes. (So I am one happy, happy girl!)

The strong aroma and sweet, warming taste of pumpkin spice is honestly one of the most "Autumn-y" things I can think of.  It reminds me of the leaves changing, the cool breeze blowing, football games, and most importantly, bundling up in that cozy Fall apparel everyone is waiting to break back into.

Since Starbucks has declared Autumn is just around the corner, I thought it was only necessary to bake these tasty pumpkin muffins to help welcome my favorite time of the year.

With the addition of mini chocolate chips and a toasted pecan streusel topping, these pumpkin muffins are a one-of-a-kind, mouth-watering muffin that scream nothing but "AUTUMN" when you take that first giant bite.  They also taste that much better when you realize there is absolutely NO oil in the batter.. even more the reason to indulge in them.  

So I strongly advise you to go immediately to the nearest Starbucks, grab a large Pumpkin Spice Latte, and throw on your cutest apron (and best high heels, of course)... Bake these spice-filled muffins, and celebrate the beginning of Fall with a big smile on your face!

And muffin crumbs all over your shirt...

Ingredients:
2 3/4 cup flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 TBS baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 TBS ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
3/4 cup fat free sour cream
1/4 cup applesauce
1 egg
1 egg white
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup non-fat milk
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips, optional
1/2 cup pecans, chopped and toasted, optional

Topping:
2 TBS granulated sugar
2 tsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and spray muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray.  On a small cookie sheet pour chopped pecans.  Bake 4-6 minutes until you can smell pecans toasting, or until browned.  Immediately take out of oven and cool.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.  In a separate bowl, add pumpkin, sour cream and applesauce, egg, egg white, vanilla, and milk.  Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in wet ingredients into dry.

Slowly fold in wet ingredients into dry.

Stir just until combined.  Batter will be thick and sticky.  

Add chocolate chips and half of the pecans. Combine.

Using an ice cream scoop or spoon, fill sprayed muffin tins all the way to the top.

Top muffins with remaining chopped pecans.

In a small bowl, combine sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon to make the streusel topping.

Sprinkle the top of each muffin with the streusel topping, so pecans are completely covered.  You can always make more of this topping if needed.

Bake for 25 minutes until brown on top and when poked, toothpick comes out clean.  Cool completely, then devour!

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

So I'm kind of a chocolate fanatic...

I'm serious, I think I may have a very unhealthy obsession with it.  I crave it every single day and if I don't have it when my craving is at it's full,  I may go a little crazy.

So there is nothing wrong with sneaking some chocolate in a healthy loaf of banana bread, right?  I mean, at least I can tell myself that I am sort of being healthy while I am indulging in my daily chocolate craving.

Believe me, it makes the chocolate-lover like me feel better about their obsession.  Plus, this bread is so good that you won't just be picking out the chocolate chips.

Ingredients:
2 very ripe bananas, mashed
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup applesauce
3/4 TBS vegetable oil
3/4 TBS vanilla
1 3/4 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
3/4 cup pecans, toasted and chopped (reserve 1/4 cup for topping) (optional)

Topping:
1 TBS granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Place pecans on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 5-6 minutes.  (If making bread without nuts, disregard pecan instructions).  While nuts are toasting, mash bananas in a small bowl and set aside.

Once nuts are done toasting, take out and set aside.  Cool and chop.  Reserve 1/4 cup for the top of the bread.

In a large bowl, beat sugar and eggs for about 5 minutes until fluffy. 

Add mashed bananas, applesauce, oil, and vanilla.  Blend together.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.

 Slowly add in the flour mixture to the banana mixture and blend together.  Stir in chocolate chips and cooled pecans.

Spray a loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.  Pour in batter.  In a small bowl combine sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon.  Sprinkle reserved chopped pecans all over the top of the loaf.  Top the batter and pecans with the sugar mixture.

Bake bread for one hour at 350 degrees F or until toothpick comes out clean and cool.  Enjoy!