Description

These St. Patrick’s Day Healthy Spinach Chocolate Chip Muffins are a delightful and nutritious treat, combining fresh spinach, ripe bananas, and whole wheat flour with sweet mini chocolate chips. Perfect for a festive breakfast or a wholesome snack, these muffins are naturally sweetened with honey or maple syrup and offer a vibrant green color that’s both fun and healthy.

Ingredients

Scale

Wet Ingredients

1 cup fresh spinach (packed)
2 ripe bananas
1/3 cup honey or maple syrup
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup milk (dairy or non-dairy)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips (plus more for topping, optional)

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Instructions

Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease it to prevent sticking.
Blend the wet ingredients: Using a blender or food processor, combine the fresh spinach, ripe bananas, honey or maple syrup, plain Greek yogurt, milk, egg, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and bright green, ensuring the spinach is fully blended to create a vibrant batter.
Mix dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening and spices.
Combine wet and dry: Pour the spinach-banana mixture into the dry ingredients and gently stir until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the muffins tender. Then, fold in the mini chocolate chips carefully.
Fill the muffin tin: Evenly divide the batter among the 12 muffin cups. Optionally, sprinkle additional chocolate chips on top of each muffin for extra chocolate flavor and a decorative touch.
Bake the muffins: Place the muffin tin in the preheated oven and bake for 17 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, indicating they are fully cooked.
Cool the muffins: Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely, which helps maintain their structure and moisture.

Notes

These muffins freeze well and make a fun, nutrient-packed treat for kids.
For a nut-free version, check your chocolate chips to ensure they are nut-free and use dairy-free options if needed.
Use non-dairy milk and yogurt to make the recipe vegan-friendly, keeping in mind this may slightly alter texture.
Ensure bananas are ripe for natural sweetness and moisture.
Do not overmix the batter to keep the muffins tender and moist.