6/22/08

Banana Nut Muffins

I have been using this recipe for awhile to make a loaf, but today I made a loaf and then muffins for me. So using the Weightwatchers Recipe Builder online I worked out the points for each one and can now also eat them.

I have given quite a few loaves away and they are always been popular as this is such a light recipe, so I thought I'd share :-)

1/2 c 'Promise' Fat Free Spread
1-1/2 c Sugar
2 Eggs
2 medium ripe mashed bananas
2 tbsp 2% milk
1 tspn vanilla extract
2 c all-purpose flour
1 tspn baking soda
1/2 tspn salt
3/4 c chopped nuts

Heat oven to 325 degrees.

Mix together Promise spread and sugar until really creamy, then add eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. Stir in the mashed banana (I squish it with my fingers!), milk and extract. Combine flour, baking soda, salt and stir into banana mixture until moistened (still lumpy). Fold in the nuts, I use either pecans (which I think are better in it) or walnuts.

(If you make a loaf, it will take 65-75 minutes to bake in a well greased tin)

Divide into 18 baking cups and bake for about 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool and enjoy for only 4 points each if you're a Weightwatcher.

7 comments:

Almost American said...

I have a similar recipe but hadn't thought to use Fat Free Promise. (Not sure that I've even seen it in the shops - we buy a low-fat version that isn't any good for cooking.)

I use 1 cup of sugar instead of 1 1/2, and three bananas instead of 2. I replace a 1/2 cup of the flour with whole-wheat, and another half cup with almond meal - I know that increases tha fat content, but it's a 'good' fat. No milk, but I put in 1/3 cup non-fat yogurt (regular or Greek.) No nuts as I've already added the almond meal, but I often put in frozen berries - this weekend it was raspberries, sometimes it's blueberries, or Tareder Joe's mixed berries.

You are more frugal with your portions - I only make 12 muffins from my mix and the kids consider two each to be a good breakfast! If I make a loaf I usually reckon it makes 14 slices. I like that the muffins cook so much faster though.

I have a lot of colleagues doing Weightwatchers and we often do potlucks - I guess I'll have to ask one of them if they can input my recipes to the Recipe Builder seeing as I can't.

Unknown said...

AA - this is interesting because as I was typing this in, I thought I should try whole-wheat flour as it will make them healthier and maybe more filling! Not sure what it would do to the points but I imagine not too much damage.

Have you any idea whether you just replace white flour with whole-wheat as a 1 for 1 ratio. I think I read somewhere once it tends to need more moisture?

Yes I am more frugal but then that's due to the WW points!

Pam said...

omg. yum. i want some right this minute. i haven't tried to conjure up any recipes yet -- just hoping to be tracking what i eat the right way. discovered that applebee's does WW meals and lists the points right on the menu! genius! why aren't more restaurants doing that?

meanwhile, yes photoshop lessons to come, just so you realize that i might be doing things backwards because i have been teaching myself by trial and error!

Rhea said...

I love banana bread/muffins (minus the nuts) and so do my boys. yummmm.

Victoria - Florence and Mary said...

I'm doing weight watchers at the moment so was pleased to see this recipe!!

Victoria xx

Daryl said...

Sounds so good I c/p and emailed to a co worker who began WW last week!

:-Daryl

Almost American said...

I know you can't replace all the flour with wholewheat. The almond meal can't replace more than 1/3 of the flour or the muffins/bread won't bind together properly, so I went with 50% regular flour, 25% almond meal and 25% whole wheat. I think at one point I was splitting it 50/50 regular flour to whole wheat until I discovered the almond meal at Trader Joe's.

Oh, and the other substitution I make that I forgot to mention is I use 1/2 cup of white sugar and 1/2 cup of brown.