BANANA OAT PROTEIN MUFFINS (LOW FAT)
These low fat Banana Oat Protein Muffins might be the best banana muffins I have ever made! They are tender, fluffy, sweet, nutty, and full of banana flavor. I love the added walnuts for healthy fats and a little crunch, but if you leave those out each muffin is only 130 calories with 3 grams of fat! Two or three make the perfect post-workout snack or pre-workout breakfast ;) They're also gluten-free, dairy-free, and easily made vegan.
Did you know? Walnuts are significantly higher in omega-3 fat than any other nut, primarily in the form of α-linolenic acid (ALA). ALA is an essential polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) that is essential for cellular function including nerve function. ALA also helps reduce inflammation, balance blood sugar levels, and minimize skin aging (doi: 10.3390/biom9080356)
So, the next time someone tells you PUFAs are bad for you, remember many are actually essential to cellular functioning. Again, ALA cannot be synthesized in the body yet is found in every cell! This means it must be obtained from diet.
Protein recommendations
Okay back to these muffins! I used LIV Body Lean Vegan Protein in Frosted Oatmeal Cookie and it totally brought out the sweet oat flavor of these muffins. I just love that this protein doesn't have any artificial additives! It also tastes great and is high in leucine, the most important amino acid for muscle growth. You can use my code "NOEXCUSES" for 20% off all LIV Body products!
Now, you should be able to use another plant-based protein here, but I'm just warning you it will change the taste and texture somewhat. I can't promise the result using other types of protein, but I do have a banana muffin recipe specifically for collagen!
Flour recommendations
I used organic oat flour in these muffins, but you can simply blend organic oats in a high speed blender to make flour! The oat flour can also be substituted for an equal measure of all-purpose flour, brown rice flour, cake flour, cassava flour (Paleo), gluten-free baking flour, sorghum flour, spelt flour, tiger nut flour or whole wheat pastry flour. You can also trade up to half a cup of the baking flour for a quarter cup of coconut flour to lower the carbs, but this will yield less “fluffy” muffins.
Sweetener recommendations
To sweeten these Banana Oat Protein Muffins, I used Truvia Sweet Complete Brown. I just love the added brown sugar flavor! You can use any reduced-calorie brown sugar alternative, such as Lakanto Golden, Sukrin Gold, or Swerve Brown. Regular brown sugar or coconut sugar will also work if you’re not worried about the added sugar!
You can also use baking stevia, granulated erythritol, granulated monk fruit, or granulated white sugar... but the muffins won’t taste as rich. If using stevia extract or drops, please refer to the brand-specific conversion chart 😉
How many bananas do I need?
I used three small over-ripe bananas which yielded about one and a half cups mashed. You might only need two very large bananas, but my advice would always be to measure out the mashed banana since protein recipes are very finicky!
Other ingredients
This recipe also calls for egg whites and vegan buttery spread. You can swap the egg white for four tablespoons of ground flaxseed with half a cup of warm water. Or use a vegan egg replacer!
The vegan buttery spread can be swapped for avocado oil, melted coconut oil, or one-quarter cup of nut or seed butter. In my last post I talk about how to choose the healthiest buttery spread!
You can also add chopped walnuts if you like the extra crunch. Personally, I think anything banana is better with walnuts so I encourage you to try ;) Feel free to add chocolate chips, fresh fruit, dried fruit, seeds, or other nuts too!
Here's the printable recipe for these low fat Banana Oat Protein Muffins. I hope you'll rate or comment below if you give them a try!
This post contains affiliate links and is sponsored by LIV Body.
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