Banana Chia Muffins with a Touch of Chocolate

Even though summer is still far off and we are in the middle of winter, I’ve already started cutting back on calories.

I've removed calorie-dense foods from my daily menu and added foods rich in dietary fiber—the kind that keeps me feeling full for a long time.

In addition, I've added two workouts a week with a trainer I particularly like, who has helped me find my drive again after a long period of being a bit "sleepy" at the gym.

Now all that's left is for summer to arrive.

As a regular part of my winter ritual, I head into the kitchen and try to invent recipes that fit within the calorie framework I've set for myself.

Recently, I discovered that if you mix chia, liquid, and a little flour, you get a stable, soft batter that can be baked in the oven.

The result is a soft, moist pastry that provides a nice boost of dietary fiber and good carbohydrates (well, except for the chocolate!).

And in case you didn't know, chia seeds are a great source of Omega-3 fatty acids, dietary fiber, and essential minerals. So these muffins are healthy too!

A Bit About Banana Chia Muffins

When soaking chia seeds in liquid, they release a thick gel (these are the soluble fibers I've written about before) that remains stable even during baking.

Don't worry—there is no health issue with baking chia seeds, and their health benefits are preserved even after baking.

To provide sweetness and moisture, I used two very ripe bananas. The riper they are, the sweeter they get.

I also added a bit of Demerara sugar; if you are strictly against it, feel free to omit it entirely or replace it with any sweetener you prefer.

The small amount of flour I used is whole spelt flour. You can swap it for any other flour you like, though the result will naturally vary slightly.

Don't want chocolate? No problem! Replace it with chia jam, fruit, or high-quality peanut butter.

I used a major dairy brand ALTERNATIVE Light Soy Drink, who also participated in preparing this post—thank you, it helps this blog continue to exist.

To turn the soy drink into "buttermilk," I added a little vinegar to curdle the protein molecules. You can also use lemon juice.

Other plant-based drinks that aren't soy won't curdle as well due to their lower protein content, so you can't use rice or almond milk for this specific step, for example.

Nutritional Values by Clinical Dietitian Noam Bachar:

One Banana Chia Chocolate Muffin out of 12

Weighing 78g, it contains:

150 kcal

4g Protein

23g Carbohydrates

5g Fat (of which 1g is saturated fat)

2g Fiber

Print

Banana Chia Muffins

Prep time 13 minutes

Servings 12 muffins

Calories 150 kcal

Ingredients

• 2 ripe bananas 200g
• 1.5 cups a major dairy brand ALTERNATIVE Light Soy Drink 360ml
• 1/3 cup chia seeds 60g
• 1 cup whole spelt flour 155g
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 5g
• 2 tbsp vinegar 20ml
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 cup brown sugar 50g
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 18 squares dark chocolate 75g

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F).

2. In a deep bowl, pour the soy drink, add the vinegar, and set aside for 2-3 minutes until the milk curdles slightly.

3. Add the chia seeds and vanilla extract and mix well.

4. In another bowl, mash the bananas with a fork into a puree and add them to the chia mixture.

5. Set aside for ten minutes to allow the mixture to thicken a bit.

6. Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar and mix until a uniform batter is formed.

7. Transfer the batter into muffin tins.

8. Using your finger, press 2 squares of chocolate into the center of each muffin.

9. Bake for about half an hour or until a knife inserted into the center comes out dry.

10. Melt the remaining chocolate and drizzle it over the top.

Recipe Video

Notes

Baking time varies depending on the size of your muffin tins—my advice is to check them after 20 minutes.

They might be ready after 25 minutes, or it might take up to 35 minutes.

Insert a butter knife into the center of a muffin; if it comes out dry (apart from the melted chocolate), they are ready.