Healthy Chocolate & Berry Muffins

Healthy chocolate muffins!? Is this a thing? Absolutely. I feel like I’ve been killing this muffin meal prep game. I love having these as a snack or before a workout. Mixed Berry Chocolate Protein Muffins are no exception. You satisfy your chocolate craving as a yummy breakfast or snack. I used my strawberry rhubarb compote to act as the berries, but feel free to use mashed raspberries instead; plus, I don’t know about you, but there’s something I love about the way blueberries bake into muffins.

Ingredients (makes 12 muffins; serving of 1-3 muffins depending on meal).

• 1 medium very ripe banana *
• 1 egg
• 1/2 c unsweetened almond milk
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 1 T maple syrup
• 3/4 c plant-based vanilla protein powder
• 1/4 c almond flour
• 1/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 c oats
• 1 t baking powder
• 1/3 c fresh blueberries + extra to top
• 2-3 T strawberry rhubarb compote
• 12 unsweetened dark chocolate chips to top (optional)

* If your banana isn’t ripe enough yet, try the caramelized banana trick for a smoother consistency and bring out its natural sugar.

Directions.

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF and line a muffin pan with liners (because I’m lazy and hate cleaning muffin pans).
2. In a medium bowl, mashed banana. Whisk in egg. Fold in almond milk, maple syrup, and vanilla until a smooth batter forms.
3. In a small blender or food processor, grind oats into a flour. Transfer oat flour to the same bowl with the wet ingredients along. Add protein powder, almond flour, cocoa powder and baking powder. Mix well.
4. Once dry ingredients are fully incorporated, fold in strawberry rhubarb compote and fresh blueberries.
5. Spoon batter into lined muffin tins so the tin is 3/4 full. Garnish each with a smidge of extra compote, a blueberry and a chocolate chip (optional).
6. Bake 18-22 min. Muffins should be firm and a toothpick will come out clean when done. Cool on a wire rack.
7. Have 1-2 as a snack or 2-3 for breakfast.
8. Enjoy!

Inspired by my Piña Colada Protein Muffins (original inspiration from Tone It Up). Check out my other protein muffins here.

Nutrition for 1 muffin (1 out of 12).

86 calories  •  2.8 g fat (28%)  •  8.7 g carbs (39%)  •  7.5 g protein (33%)  •  1.7 g fiber  •  3.1 g sugar

* These are estimates based off specific products I used and how I entered ingredients in a fitness tracker. This is completely subjective and used to give a rough nutritional estimate.