Fit Food Friday - my kind of Power Muffin

When Brett and I moved into our apartment, he discovered Whole Foods. He had never been before but after me raving about it I popped hi WF's cherry and he was obsessed. He would come home from school with the occasional Power Muffin. My fault for introducing him to them in the first place but since we are living a cleaner and healthy lifestyle, these muffins were a big chunk of our daily calories. I'm sure they run over 500 calories plus. They are delicious but I was sure I could remake these muffins in a healthier way and I was not alone.

Apparently Brett wasn't the only one in love with their Power Muffins but so were many others. The first step was a little recon work at the famous grocery store where I got the label of ingredients. Then I compared that to this healthy gluten free recipe I found online. Now the waiting began for the bananas to ripen...and after training last night it was time to attempted my rendition of the WF's power muffin.

"Ingredients," Which I quote because I have a tendency to change it as I go along:

• 1-1/4 c. buckwheat flour
• 1/4 c. oats (ground until flour consist.)
• 2 scoops Vega nutritional shake (Natural Flavour)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• pinch of salt
• 1 - 1/3 c. mashed bananas (2 large or 3 - 4 small ones)
• 1/4 c. coconut oil *subbed this out for 1/4 unsweetened apple sauce
• 1/4 c. honey *only used 1 TBSP
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/3 c. hemp hearts (I'm obsessed - shelled hemp seeds)
• 1/3 c. dark chocolate
  *I added a little coconut (unsweetened and shaved) and a few raisins to make them align more with what is in the one's from Whole Foods. Just remember, add what you like but it increase the caloric intake.

The muffins turned out pretty good. Of course I sampled my work and Brett likes them too! Healthier options are out there and don't have to be the size of your head. I used a smaller muffin tin because it's all I had and then you can have them as a snack.

I mashed the bananas separately so that there weren't any lumps. Banana's are a great pre-workout snack because they give your body the energy through a form of sugar to hit a good workout. I also add a little banana to my oatmeal egg white pancakes in the off season to make them a creamier texture and for a little extra flavour.

Baking and cooking is a great thing to do with friends or your partner and I find it very soothing. I hope you all had a great week. Grab a friend and try a recipe this weekend. Find one, print it off and get going :) 

xoxo

Nic out!