Description
These Chocolate Spinach Muffins combine ripe bananas, fresh spinach, and rich cocoa to create a moist, nutrient-packed treat. Perfect for a healthy snack or breakfast, these muffins sneak in veggies without sacrificing flavor, enhanced by dark chocolate chips for a delightful bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 3 very ripe bananas
- 2 large handfuls baby spinach (fresh, not frozen)
- 3 tablespoons milk (almond milk or regular)
- 1 egg
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup full-fat Greek yogurt
- 3 tablespoons oil
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup white whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ⅔ cup cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Add-ins
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips (plus extra for topping if desired)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking the muffins.
- Blend Wet Base: In a high-powered blender, combine the milk, ripe bananas, and fresh baby spinach. Blend until mostly smooth with a few small lumps remaining, then transfer this mixture to a large mixing bowl.
- Add Wet Ingredients: To the banana-spinach mixture, add the egg and stir lightly to whisk. Then add sugar, vanilla extract, oil, and Greek yogurt, mixing thoroughly to combine all wet ingredients seamlessly.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate small bowl, whisk together the white whole wheat flour, baking soda, cocoa powder, and sea salt to evenly distribute the leavening agents and flavor.
- Combine Mixtures: Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, gently folding them together to form a consistent batter. Avoid overmixing to keep the muffins tender.
- Add Chocolate Chips: Stir in the dark chocolate chips, reserving some if you’d like to sprinkle on top of the batter before baking.
- Prepare Muffin Pan: Line a 12-cup muffin pan with liners and evenly spoon the batter into each cup. Optionally, sprinkle the reserved chocolate chips on top.
- Bake Muffins: Bake in the oven for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, indicating they are fully cooked.
- Cool and Serve: Remove the muffins from the oven and let them cool for several minutes in the pan before transferring to a wire rack or serving.
Notes
- Use fresh baby spinach rather than frozen to avoid excess moisture and a stronger spinach flavor that may overpower the muffins.
- Store muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; at room temperature, they last about 3 days. Muffins freeze well for up to 3 months.
- Try adding other mix-ins such as shredded coconut, chopped nuts, raisins, or dried fruit for varied texture and flavor.
- Serve muffins with a drizzle of peanut butter or almond butter for an extra delicious touch.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 140mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 27g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
