Banana Chip Oat Muffins

Like many schools nowadays, Dude’s school has a fruit or vegetables for snack rule (that makes me feel super old, btw, remember when we could bring chips and cookies for school snack?), except for Fridays when they can bring a different healthy snack, like sting cheese or yogurt (uh, no chips or cookies).

Thankfully, homemade muffins also work for Friday snack.  Which is actually quite fun, because now we get to have muffin Friday (nope, doesn’t flow like muffin Monday, but I’ll take what I can get).

Last week (as per usual), I had some nasty bananas sitting on the counter, so I decided to make more muffins.  This time I decided to make multigrain oat muffins for staying power (because I really don’t think Dude eats much of his school lunch…sigh).  Of course I added chocolate chips because both boys take after their mother and see no real point in eating a muffin unless it tastes a little bit like a cupcake!

These muffins make a large batch and freeze well, so they’ll last for a few yummy muffin Fridays at school!

Banana Chip Oat Muffins

Adapted from Taste of Home

1 cup quick oats

¾ cup whole wheat flour

½ cup all purpose flour

¼ cup ground flax

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp salt

3 tbsp butter, softened

1/3 cup brown sugar, packed

3 ripe bananas, mashed

1 egg, lightly beaten

½ cup mini semi sweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line muffin tins with paper liners.

In a large bowl, whisk together the oats, flours, flax, baking soda and powder, and salt.

In a separate bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar until combined.  Mix in the bananas and egg.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.  Fold in the chocolate chips.

Scoop the batter into the muffin cups evenly (I used a large – 3 tablespoon – scoop) and bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean.

Cool slightly before enjoying.

Muffins can be frozen!  Simply place in a large zipper bag and microwave for 20-30 seconds before eating.

Makes 18 muffins