Sunflower Butter & Chocolate Chip Muffins (almost healthy!)

Right before our son Zack turned 2, we figured out he had a peanut and tree nut allergy. No one in either of our families had any food allergies, so we didn’t think anything of letting our almost 2 year old lick a cracker with peanut butter. When I say lick, I mean a crumb, not like a heaping spoonful.  Anyway, within 15 minutes he was having an anaphylactic reaction (airway was closing) and I had called 911 and we rode by ambulance to the hospital where he was treated with steroids. Now 10 years later, no peanut butter in our house or products containing tree nuts or made in a factory.  He has passed food challenges the past few years so he is now allowed to have almonds, hazelnuts and macadamia nuts. Still no peanuts …. at all. For a person who grew up eating PB&J every.single.day, it seemed crazy. Now we never leave home without having multiple epi-pens.

One good thing from his food allergies, is that I learned to bake and cook more than I had in the past. No more buying birthday cakes from bakeries, all our desserts were now made from scratch. There was no way I was taking a chance with my baby. OK, so fast forward to 2017 and we want to try a cool recipe, but it has peanut butter. Let’s try it substituting sunflower butter.

These muffins are almost healthy because there is no added oil or butter. The sunflower butter and mashed over ripe bananas keep it moist. No flour either, this recipe uses ground oats (oat flour) and whole oats. I was worried that the batter was too thin, but they came out very tasty. My husband said he LOVES them, but then again, there is not much he won’t eat. My daughter, who is a picky fruit eater, asked me, “does this have bananas?” I told her I couldn’t remember, and she ate it and liked it. Win for Mom. My son who has never enjoyed sunflower butter and gets nervous whenever he smells peanut butter, he LOVED them too. Guess I’ll be making these again!

Recipe was inspired by http://www.chelseasmessyapron.com/skinny-peanut-butter-chocolate-and-banana-muffins/#_a5y_p=2700784

Ingredients (makes 18 muffins)

• 1 cup (~2 medium) over ripe bananas
• 1 cup creamy sunflower butter 
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2/3 cup + 2 tablespoons oat flour regular old fashioned oats that have been blended in the blender
• 2/3 cup old fashioned oats
• 2/3 cup dark chocolate chips
  
• 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
• 2 Tablespoons sugar in the raw
  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin pan with muffin tins.
  Reynolds Wrap Foil Baking Cups 32 Count (Pack of 8) Total 256 CupsRemove the banana peel and mash well using a fork. Measure the banana after it has been well mashed.In a large bowl, using hand mixers, cream together the mashed up banana, sunflower butter (do not warm up), honey, vanilla extract, and brown sugar.

  
  (Side note, this is the sunflower butter we use from Trader Joe’s.
  Has the texture of peanut butter, tastes slightly sweeter to me)
  Beat until completely combined. Beat in the eggs.
  

  Beat in the salt, baking soda, baking powder, and oat flour.
  To make the oat powder, take oats and pulse them in a blender or food processor until they are in a flour-like consistency.
  Make sure to measure the oat flour AFTER blending and not before or the amounts will be off.
  
  Mix just to combine.
  Stir in the old-fashioned oats and the dark chocolate chips.
  Using a scooper, fill the muffin tins about 2/3 full.
  
  Then sprinkle with mini chocolate chips and saw sugar in the raw.

    
  Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes.
  We like everything moist, so we underbake them slightly.

   

  Let them cool a few minutes and take out of the muffin pan.
  I had to try one when they were warm with the chocolate chips all melted.
  MMMM, so good. You barely taste the banana. Just tastes like Chocolate “No Peanut Butter” Muffins!