Banana Protein Muffins (with lentils)
This healthy muffin recipe is going to become your new go-to way to use up those overripe bananas. They are super easy to make and filled with wholesome ingredients to keep little bellies full and happy. Banana Protein Muffins are packed with plant-based protein and fiber thanks to lentils. But I promise you can’t taste the lentils at all! Bake up these muffins with your kiddos and enjoy them for breakfast, snack, or pack them up for school.
Kids in the Kitchen: Banana Protein Muffins
- Add to the blender: Kids can peel the bananas and add the other ingredients to the blender then help turn this blender on. This is a great place to talk about lentils…what they are and what they might taste like. “Do you think we’ll be able to taste that they are in the muffins? Maybe they are our secret ingredient?”
- Measure and mix the dry ingredients: depending on the age or your child and/or how much time you have to bake, you may want to measure many of the ingredients before inviting your child to bake with you. You can leave a couple things for your child to measure, such as the baking soda and salt.
- Use a large bowl. Mixing in a large bowl means less mess when cooking with kids. I try and always and demonstrate what speed I’d like kids to stir before letting them have a turn. Most likely, their mixing will result in at least a little spillage, but that’s ok. With practice, kids will eventually learn to better control the spoon or spatula.
Subs and Tips for making Banana Protein Muffins:
- Lentils: I like to buy pre-cooked lentils in the grocery store (they are usually in the produce section) because it makes it so easy to whip of these muffins in no time. However, you can easily cook your own lentils to use in this recipe. To cook lentils, cover 1/3 cup of lentils with water and bring up to a boil. Simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Let cool before using in muffins. You also can cook extra and freeze in portions to use the next time you make muffins.
- Flour: White whole wheat flour has a more mild taste than the traditional whole wheat flour. I like to buy the King Arthur brand. If you don’t have white whole wheat flour, use half regular whole wheat and half all-purpose flour to get similar results. You can also use all all-purpose flour if you prefer a more bakery-style tasting muffin.
- Gluten-free?: Yes, no problem! I tested these muffins with a gluten-free “cup for cup” flour blend and it worked out really well.
- Egg-free?: You can replace the eggs with flax “eggs” or another egg substitute for baking. For 2 flax eggs, use 2 tablespoons of ground flax seed mixed with 5 tablespoons of water.
- Reduce sugar or make no-sugar-added version: There is a 1/4 cup of maple syrup or honey in this recipe. However, feel free to reduce the amount or omit it and replace the sweetener with applesauce or additional mashed banana.
- Helpful tools: Unbleached parchment paper liners, large cookie scoop (in picture below), and my favorite muffin tin are listed in my Baking Essentials list on Amazon HERE.
Banana Protein Muffins (with lentils)
Healthy muffins packed protein and fiber. Great for toddler snacks or school lunch.
Ingredients
- 3 medium-sized overripe bananas (1 1/3 cups mashed banana) the more brown and spotty the better
- 2 large eggs or flax "eggs"
- 1 cup cooked brown or green lentils make sure to drain well if in liquid
- 1/3 cup avocado or vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
- 1/4 cup milk (any kind) I use unsweetened almond milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 cup whole wheat or all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour
- 1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp fine salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with paper liners or grease well with oil or non-stick spray.
- Add bananas, eggs, lentils, oil, maple syrup, milk, vanilla, and vinegar to a blender. Blend until smooth.
- In a large bowl add flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine. Pour blender contents into the bowl then use a large spoon or rubber spatula to mix until well combined.
- Use a portion scoop or spoon to divide the muffin batter evenly into the muffin tin. They should be filled to the top.
- Bake until golden brown and cooked through (a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean), 18-20 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes in the pan then transfer muffins to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Store muffins at room temperature for 2 days, in the fridge for 5 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
Notes
Options add-ins: mix in 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips or blueberries. Add hemp seeds, chopped nuts, or dried fruit.
For flax egg substitute: mix 2 Tbsp ground flax with 5 Tbsp water. Set aside for 5 minutes then use in the recipe.
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Other Healthy Muffin Recipes:
Healthy Strawberry Banana Muffins
Banana-Pumpkin Blender Muffins
Cottage Cheese Blueberry Muffins
Healthy Cranberry Orange Muffins
I want to thank you for this recipe , at first its very healthy and it turned out great with gluten free flour , kids approved (😋) and so easy to put together.
I used coconut nut oil and took off one tablespoon of flour and used raw coco instead of it because my kids love everything chocolate
These come together so fast and are really good. I’ve made them into donuts (using a donut pan) and also waffles with my waffle maker. Another super versatile and yummy recipe.
Thank you, Kelly!!
Would be great to know the nutrition in each muffin, especially the protein grams and calorie count! Thank you – looking forward to making these!
Hi! Thanks for your comment. I think you can put the recipe into an app like “my fitness pal” to calculate the nutrition facts. I don’t have a way to do that for each recipe right now. Let me know if you give the muffins a try! 🙂 Heather
Made them with bob’s GF 1:1 flour and they did not bake properly. The insides were so gummy and wet even after 40 minutes. I wish there had been instructions on how wet the lentils should be. I’m wondering if I needed to remove more moisture from them.
Hi Lena, So sorry the gluten-free flour didn’t work out for this recipe. I often have to add an additional 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the gluten-free flour blends since they don’t seem to absorb flour as well as regular flour. Thanks for the feedback about the lentils. I always use packaged pre-cooked lentils so they are very dry. I will definitely add to drain them well in the instructions if you have cooked the lentils and there is still some liquid with them. 🙂 Heather
I made these last night and they are delicious! I used applesauce instead of the oil which worked great. I added in raisins to half of the batter and chocolate chips to the other half.
I doubled the recipe and they’re almost all gone! Thank you for this terrific recipe!
Hi Rachel! So glad you all enjoyed the muffins. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review! 🙂 Heather
Would this work with almond flour?
No, sorry, it wouldn’t work out the same because wheat flour and almond flour absorb liquid very differently among other differences. 🙂 Heather
We made these two days ago and kids approved them so I’m doing them again today for snack!
Thank you for all your recipes.
So glad the recipe was a success! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review. 🙂 Heather