Obsession Recipe: Banana Chocolate Chip (or blueberry) Muffins.

Five weeks ago I found a recipe that I have since made at least eight times.  Credit Erica Carlson (my husband's cousin's wife) and her super-cute, always uplifting blog for my new found euphoria. Or credit her mama, Mrs. Print.

The recipe is so simple, I have it memorized, and I can whip it up in a matter of minutes.  It calls for white flour but I've found that you can use half whole wheat flour and it still tastes great.  I've also found that Smart Balance sticks work better than butter - the sticks are a blend of oil and butter that make all my bready baked goods more moist and heart-healthier.  Here's the recipe:

4 regular sized or 3 very large overripe bananas, mashed
1 stick of Smart Balance
1 cup sugar (I use about half brown sugar, half white sugar)
2 cups flour (I use one cup white, one cup whole wheat flour)
1 tsp baking soda
1.5 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup chocolate chips (I prefer Ghiradelli mini Semi-Sweet baking chips)
About 18 muffin cups

Just mash the bananas with a fork until smooth, or put them in the mixer first.  Add the Smart Balance (or butter), softened.  Add remaining ingredients.  Fill muffin cups about 3/4 full, bake at 340 degrees 17-20 minutes until the top resists slightly to pressure.

Here they are, ready to bake:

Before baking.

The close-up.

Yup.  I've been living on these for over a month now.

Really, try these!!  So simple and SO amazing, the perfect easy thing to whip up on a weekend morning and serve with eggs or sausage (and coffee, of course).  Every so often you find a recipe that you just know will be a staple in your home forevermore - I promise you, this is one of them.

And get this:  As if this find wasn't enough joy to last a year, it yields one final bonus.  After our eighth or ninth batch, my husband declared he needed a break (gasp!) and wanted something healthier.  Well... turns out this very recipe does the trick!  I set out today to tweak it into a recipe using half whole wheat flour, 1/3 less sugar, and "superfood" blueberries instead of my darling dark chocolate chips.  The result?  Still TDF.  Just ask the baby; at 8 months old he devoured an entire muffin this morning.  Here's the visual, and the recipe:

The Healthy Version.

Baby loves these.

3/4 stick Smart Balance (or butter)
1/4 cup white, 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 large or 3 small overripe bananas

1/4-1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 cups flour (I did half whole wheat)
2 tsp cinnamon (optional)
3/4 cup blueberries

Mash bananas with fork until smooth.  Combine bananas, sugars, and butter in mixer.  Add cinnamon if desired.  Add salt, baking powder, and baking soda.  Add flour(s).  Add blueberries gently, unless they are very firm blueberries.  Bake at 340 for 17-20 minutes until done.  Muffins are done when the very edges are just starting to turn golden brown and the top resists slightly to touch.  Do not overcook.

Enjoy!