Banana Nut-butter Muffins

Hubby and I have been trying to eat healthier lately, so I've been making healthier recipes--or at least trying.

I've always disliked when people post "health food" recipes and claim that they will taste exactly the same as normal, full-fat, full-sugar recipes, how you'll notice no difference whatsoever, how they're even better than the regular kind!

Well, I will not tell you any of those things, because I don't think they're true, but I do think that these muffins are pretty dang good anyway! P.S., no sugar added, but feel free to add some maple syrup or honey (to keep with the natural ingredients) if you'd like a little more sweet.

These are gluten-free, almost-vegan (easy to substitute the eggs out), packed with protein and just about guaranteed to keep you full until lunch time (if you bring them for breakfast.).

They're a combination of a recipe that I found on Pinterest and my mom's banana-nut bars, which I may make in a separate post eventually, and just my little bit of "I need to add something here" that comes with most recipes.

Let's get down to it:

Prep time: 2 minutes

Cook time: ~20 minutes

Yields: 8 muffins*

*which Hubby decided to call "A baker's half-dozen"

Ingredients:

2 large, very ripe bananas
2 eggs
1 cup nut butter (cashew or peanut)
3-4 teaspoons cocoa powder
2 heaping tablespoons pecans
25-30 chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Since these are blender muffins, grab your blender. I'm sure that a food processor would work as well. (P.S., how do you gracefully photograph ingredients in a blender in a small kitchen? I'm still trying to figure it out.)

2. Add your bananas.

Eggs. (I promise they're both there.)

Nut butter. (I've found that cashew butter tastes better than peanut butter here, but use whatever you like!)

Cocoa powder.

And blend the heck out of those babies! You might have to use a spatula to scrape the sides a few times.

3. I forgot to get a picture of this, but when they're about done, add in the pecans and pulse a couple of more times. We don't want totally blended pecans, but enough to get them chopped and distributed evenly.

4. Grab a muffin tin and spray with non-stick spray (you will need it with these.)

When you pour the muffin batter in, make sure you fill it almost to the top. These don't have any rising agents in them, so they won't puff out much.

5. Pop a couple of chocolate chips onto each. I did 3-4 per muffin--you don't want too many, since these are supposed to be mostly healthy.

6. Throw those into a 375-degree F oven and bake for about 20 minutes, until a fork or toothpick inserted in the middle of a muffins comes out almost clean. (Check a couple of muffins, just in case!)

Let cool, and enjoy!