Confession time: I have an affinity for big box store muffins. You know what I’m talking about—the big warehouse store where you can buy five pounds of cottage cheese for $2.99? Their muffins slay me, especially the banana nut variety. But the trouble is, you can only buy them in a pack of twelve and each muffin is the size of a small planet. Plus, they likely contain an entire day’s worth of calories. As I swallow each buttery bite, I can literally feel the muffin slide down my esophagus, skip right past my stomach and implant itself on my ass. There is a reason they call it a muffin top, my friends.

So what is a girl to do when she craves those moist, melt-in-your mouth banana nut muffins but doesn’t want a butt the size of Neptune? Make a healthier version, of course.

Start with overripe bananas. The browner the better. Mash them up with a fork.

Add to the bananas an egg, greek yogurt (to keep things moist and add a little bit of richness—low-fat sour cream would work, too), vegetable oil, and vanilla extract.

For the dry ingredients you’ll need white and whole wheat flours, baking powder, salt, brown sugar and wheat germ (the “raw” or “untoasted” variety) for a little extra fiber.

Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.

Fold in some walnuts.

Pour into 12 prepared muffin cups and sprinkle some more walnuts on top if you like.

Bake for a little under 20 minutes. They puff up nice and purdy.

Pour yourself a cup of tea and sink your teeth into one of these beauties.

They’re more moist, more flavorful, and less likely to stick to your hips than those gigantor muffins. Of course they still have a decent amount of fat as all good muffins do, but you won’t feel them stick to your hips. Or implant themselves on your thighs. Or park their big banana butts on your…well, you get the picture.

-RDG

(Almost) Better-for-You Banana Nut Muffins   handy dandy printable

Prep Time: 10 minutes Bake Time: 20 minutes

• 3 large overripe bananas
• 1 egg
• 1/2 c honey-flavored greek yogurt
• 1/3 c vegetable oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 c whole wheat flour
• 1/2 c all purpose flour
• 1/2 c raw (untoasted) wheat germ
• 3/4 c brown sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 c chopped walnuts, plus more for topping

1) Preheat oven to 350F. In a large bowl, mash bananas until smooth. Stir in egg, yogurt, oil and vanilla.

2) In a medium bowl, combine wheat flour, all purpose flour, wheat germ, sugar, baking soda and salt. Pour into wet ingredients and whisk until smooth. Fold in walnuts.

3) Grease or line 12 muffin cups. Spoon in batter nearly to the top of each cup. Sprinkle with additional walnuts if desired. Bake for 17-20 minutes until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool slightly before serving.