Better+Nutrition+June+2019

Banana Protein Muffins

Makes  muffins

These grain-free, banana-bread-like muffins

taste more naughty than they are. Enjoy one

as a quick snack or guilt-free dessert. If you

like, the hazelnut flour can be replaced with

almond flour.

 large eggs

¼ cup milk or unsweetened dairy-free milk

 medium-sized very ripe bananas, peeled

¼ cup honey or maple syrup

½ cups hazelnut meal/flour

½ cup plain or vanilla plant-based protein

powder

 tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. salt

½ cup dark chocolate chips

. Preheat oven to °F. Place eggs, milk,

bananas, and honey in blender or food

processor, and blend until smooth. Blend

in hazelnut flour, protein powder,

cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda,

and salt. Stir in chocolate chips.

. Divide batter among  standard-sized

greased or paper-lined muffin cups.

Bake – minutes until set and lightly

browned on top, so that a toothpick

inserted into center of muffin comes out

nearly clean. Let cool a few minutes

before unmolding and cooling completely

on metal rack. Chill up to five days.

Per muffin (with plant-based protein powder):

 cal; g prot; g total fat (g sat fat); g

carb; mg chol; mg sod; g fiber; g sugar

TIPS FOR SUCCESSFULLY COOKING WITH

PROTEIN POWDER

Cooking with protein powder isn’t rocket science, but it’s also not something you can

do without any thought. Keep these tips in mind the next time you reach for your

power powder.

FLAVOR MATTERS: It’s important to pick the right flavor of protein powder for your

recipe. After all, chocolate protein powder may not go over too well in a soup.

Try stirring a berry-flavored powder into yogurt, mixing a vanilla powder in muffins,

and using a plain powder for savory applications.

HOLD THE WHEY: When used in baked goods such as muffins, whey or casein powders

have a tendency to cause a rubbery, less-tender texture if used too liberally. Generally,

you don’t want to replace more than  percent of the flour in a recipe with whey

protein powder or you’ll risk eating something that tastes like a tire. For better texture,

try using plant-based protein powders for baking purposes.

LIQUID ASSETS: When stirring whey or veggie powders into batters, add a little bit

more of a moisturizer such as yogurt, applesauce, or pumpkin purée to avoid dry

results. Also, don’t overmix the batter—stir gently just until everything is moist.

TURN DOWN THE HEAT: A slightly lower baking temperature—say ‚°F instead

of ‚„—will help keep protein powder-infused baked goods moister.

BURY THE SCOOP: Many powders come with a scoop that is convenient when adding

the protein to items like smoothies. But for recipes such as muffins and pancakes,

where you want to use a specified amount, it’s best to measure out the powder using

measuring cups.

THE COVER UP: Some powders such as pea and hemp can impart earthy flavors to

dishes. Using ingredients like cinnamon, mashed banana, or cocoa can help mask

these tastes.

JUNE ’“”•• 35

BN0619_F_ProteinPowders_JS.indd 35 4/30/19 12:27 PM