Did you know that cacao nibs (peeled, crushed cacao beans) have more antioxidant flavonoids than any other food and are full of magnesium?  My husband and I have fallen in love with the nutty, mildly-chocolately flavor!  They’re not intense or sweet so they work well for my low-sugar lifestyle while still giving me a little taste of chocolate!

This recipe for Cacao Nib Seeded Banana Muffins was created after my good friend Kamaile gifted us a few of her homemade banana muffins (SO good!).  I wanted to make a less sweet, more healthy version of the classic for our home.  These came out rich and dense and not too sweet (you can add more brown sugar for sweeter muffins).

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Cacao Nib Seeded Banana Muffins

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[Ingredients]

[dry]

• 1 c ground flaxseed
• 1 c whole wheat flour
• 1 c oat bran (used baker’s bran this time because I didn’t have any oat bran in the house)
• 1/3 c brown sugar
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp cinnamon
• 1 c cacao nibs

[wet]

• 2 c blended banana (used Hawai’i apple banana)
• 3/4 c rice milk
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla
  

[+ coconut oil to coat muffin tins]

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Mix all (except cacao nibs) dry ingredients together.

Fold cacao nibs into mashed bananas (and add 1/2 c. nuts and/or 1/2 c. raisins if desired).

Stir milk, eggs and vanilla into banana mixture.

Pour wet ingredients into the dry and mix until well moistened.

Coat cupcake tins with coconut oil and fill tins 3/4 full.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.

Enjoy! Makes 20 muffins.

These go quickly in our home but you can always freeze what you won’t eat soon and have them for quick snacks during a busy workweek

Nutrition Facts [one muffin]

Calories 126 • Fat 5g • Sodium 74mg • Carbs 19g • Fiber 3.5g • Sugar 6g • Protein 4g