Recipe: Banana Protein Muffins

With my busy schedule, I'm always in need of healthy portable high protein snacks to grab and go so that I'm not worried about having a blood sugar crash with my hypoglycemia. 

Thus, my search began for the ultimate healthy high protein muffin recipes. I needed something that was easy to throw into my bake, low GI, high protein and delicious! 

First came the recipe for my protein brownies, which I am addicted to. However, lately, my protein brownies have some serious competition. 

These beauties are banana protein muffins. They're the ultimate healthy, gluten free, vegan protein muffins and they pack a serious protein punch. 

Like with my protein brownie recipe, these muffins are super adaptable to suit your dietary needs and what you have in your pantry. I made peanut banana protein muffins by using peanut flour instead of protein powder, but my friends have also had success with both flavoured and unflavoured protein powders (vanilla protein powder got a double thumbs up!).

This recipe is also adaptable as to how you make it - it works perfectly as a loaf for protein banana bread, chopped into banana protein bars and I'm sure it would work perfectly as a secretly healthy cake!

Now that I have two delicious high protein recipes - I'm on a mission to create more! Coconut protein muffins, apple protein muffins, blueberry protein muffins - the possibilities are endless! 

Banana Protein Muffins

makes 6 low fat, high protein banana muffins that can be gluten free and/or vegan.

1/2 cup quinoa flakes or rolled oats* (or extra 1/2C flour)

3/4 cup peanut flour or protein powder 

1/4 cup gluten free flour/gluten free pancake mix/plain flour/whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp salt 

1 tbsp baking powder

2 medium/large bananas, mashed (just under 1 cup)

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2C + 2 tbsp milk of your choice

~1/4-1/2 cup sugar (depending on your tastes)

Optional: 1/4-1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 180°C/355°F.

Prepare a texas sized muffin tin (or ~10 regular sized muffins) or grease and line an 8x8 baking pan.

In a bowl combine the first 5 dry ingredients.

To dry ingredients, add in mashed banana, vanilla, milk and sugar and mix until combined. 

If using, stir in chocolate chips and spoon out mixture into muffin cups or prepared pan.

Bake for 15-20 minutes for muffins/20-25 minutes for bars or until set and the edges start to pull in from the sides.

Allow to cool before slicing, eating, storing in the fridge or freezing.

Notes: 

Quinoa Flakes/Rolled Oats/Flour I've used all substitutions - I prefer the quinoa flakes for the extra protein while still keeping the muffins soft and moist. If you use oats, the texture is a little coarser but you can easily grind them for a softer texture. If you don't have either, use an extra half cup of flour!

Peanut Flour/Protein Powder I use peanut flour as I can't have protein powders and I love the taste of it. I've had a friends try these with both flavoured and unflavoured protein powders and both worked perfectly (though vanilla protein powder was said to be a winner!). Using a flavoured protein powder will make it sweeter, so you may want to use less sugar.

Baking Powder 1 tbsp seems like a lot but it makes these protein muffins deliciously soft and fluffy.

So tell me - what's your favourite on-the-go snack?