Banana Muffins

At our house these are actually called banana-chocolate chip muffins, because the "optional" chocolate is omitted only during Lent. ;-)

This recipe is adapted from one in Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home. I like it because it uses up a lot of banana and because it calls for a measured amount of mashed fruit rather than the less precise number of whole bananas.

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Dry Ingredients

2 cups flour (I use white whole wheat)

1/2 cup sugar

1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup chocolate chips, optional

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Wet Ingredients

1 1/2 cups mashed banana (about 4 each)

2 eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

• Whisk together most of the dry ingredients, then stir in the chocolate chips.
• Whisk together the wet ingredients.
• Pour wet into the dry and stir gently to combine.
• Scoop into 12 paper-lined muffin cups.
• Bake at 375 degrees until toothpick comes out dry, 20-22 minutes.
• Enjoy!

Notes:

• If you don't have enough banana, you may substitute some applesauce. I keep some single serving applesauce on hand to top off banana or pumpkin for muffins. (Once in a while I even let the children eat some...)
• Make ahead tip: Prep the wet and dry ingredients (separately!) the night before. Instead of mixing everything together, layer the wet ingredients, covering the banana with the eggs and oil. They'll seal out the air, keeping the banana pretty. (This picture shows enough for a double batch.)

• For longer storage, keep the dry ingredients in a bag in the fridge or pantry. Stir the wet ingredients together and freeze in a bag or container. The banana mixture will turn brown, but that won't affect the final muffins. I haven't tried my layering trick in the freezer. The eggs need to be mixed in before freezing, but mixing just egg and banana and then covering with oil might keep everything more attractive, not that it's really a big deal.
• These are big muffins. You could easily get 15-16 smaller muffins, but since I like to bake just one pan at a time, a batch of 12 is most efficient for me.