NEW RECIPE!! / Banana Chocolate & Almond Butter Muffins

One of my biggest issues has been my sweet tooth. After lunch and dinner, I have a real problem with craving something sweet. It's BAD. I have a candy bowl at my desk at work, and I do a pretty good job of staying out of it most of the time. However, sometimes those cravings take over. It's so weird...I only got a really strong craving for chocolate after I started loosing weight. I don't know what it was, but I HAVE to have it now.

That being said, I'm always looking for healthy dessert recipes and recipes to tame that beast. Last week, I made these Banana Chocolate & Almond Butter Muffins adapted from Colorful Foodie. Man oh man. These things are dangerous... only they're not! I tweaked this already guilt-free recipe a bit to make them completely paleo. Eat one for breakfast, post workout snack, dessert, or just because you've got that sweet tooth that won't leave you alone. Whatever the reason, you'll be able to fully enjoy :)

 PS I took the ingredients photo the night before I made the muffins. I decided the day that I cooked them, that I would use the coconut cream instead of the greek yogurt.

Banana Chocolate & Almond Butter Muffins
adapted from Colorful Foodie

Ingredients:

• 1 c. almond meal/flour
• 1/4 c. ground flax seed
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 large ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/4 c. coconut cream (allow coconut milk to settle in fridge about a half hour & skim cream off the top.)
• 1/4 c. unsweetened applesauce
• 2 heaping tbsp of almond butter
• 1 tbsp avocado oil
• 1/4 c. honey
• 1 egg white
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 c. mini dairy free chocolate chips (I like this kind)
• Optional: You could add nuts to this to make them crunchy :)

Directions

1.  Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F, and spray a muffin pan with coconut oil spray
2.  In a large bowl, combine all of your dry ingredients, except for the chocolate chips.

3.  In a smaller bowl, with a fork or high speed blender, mash bananas thoroughly.

4.  To the bananas add the coconut cream, applesauce, almond butter, oil, honey, egg and vanilla. Whisk until combined.

5.  Gently stir the wet ingredients into the dry, until just combined, scraping the sides.

Fold in the chocolate chips and the nuts if you are using them.
Pour the batter into the muffin pan. Bake for 20-25 min**, until golden brown.

** Make sure to keep an eye on these. They bake quickly!

Enjoy your chocolatey goodness! 

I'm open to suggestions for future recipes. Leave me a comment below :)

Until next time...