{Yummy} Recipe: Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

There’s a good chance that in some point in time, whether in the past or future (or even present!), you’ve had over-ripe bananas sitting on your counter.  There’s also a good chance that the over-ripe banana is all alone… in our efforts to “eat the bananas because they’re going bad,” we made it through all but one.  What to do with one lone over-ripe banana?  Instead of throwing it away, freeze it!  Peel it, put it in a ziploc bag and label the bag (because freezers do get messy and your brain does forget).  When you’ve accumulated enough to make your favorite recipe (my favorite calls for three), thaw the bananas to room temperature and you’re ready to bake!

What is my favorite recipe, you may ask?  Banana chocolate chip muffins!  Not just because everything tastes better with chocolate, but because this recipe is hands down the favorite muffin recipe in our house.  Everyone likes it and I feel good serving it because chocolate makes them happy there’s oatmeal helps to boost the nutrition.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

1 cup brown sugar
1 stick butter
2 eggs
3 tsp vanilla
3 over-ripe bananas
1 cup oat flour*
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

In a mixing bowl, cream sugar and butter.  Add eggs, vanilla and bananas until thoroughly blended.  Add flours, baking soda and salt and mix until just combined.  Add chocolate chips and mix just a couple of rotations (you don’t want to squish the chips).  Spoon ¼ cup of batter into a muffin tin lined with paper cups.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until the tops are dark golden brown.  Cool for a few minutes before removing to a rack to cool completely.  Store in a sealed container.  Makes 18 muffins.

*Oat Flour:  I take plain, raw, old-fashioned oatmeal and grind it in a food processor until its texture is similar to flour.