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    Home » Recipes » Recipes

    Spinach Banana Muffins

    Author: Lindsey Janeiro, RDN Published: Jan 8, 2020 · Updated: Jun 21, 2022 · 16 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe
    Pinterest image of spinach banana muffins
    Pinterest image of spinach banana muffins
    Pinterest image of spinach banana muffins

    These spinach banana muffins are a kid-friendly healthy blender muffin, lightly sweetened and full of fruits and veggies. They're great for meal prep, busy weekday mornings, and are quite freezer-friendly!

    green spinach banana muffins on a metal tray - some with almonds, some plain, some with blueberries

    Why These Muffins Are So Good

    • They're good for you and they taste very good!
    • They're chock full of nourishing foods like bananas, spinach, whole grain oats, flax seeds, and greek yogurt.
    • They're quick to make. Everything goes into a blender, then you stir in any mix-ins, pour into muffin cups, and bake.
    • They make a grab-and-go after school snack or healthy breakfast component.

    What You Need to Make This Recipe

    For ingredients, you need:

    • Bananas
    • Spinach
    • Oats (old-fashioned - be sure to get certified gluten-free if you need to consume a gluten-free diet)
    • Flax seed
    • Greek yogurt (nonfat, plain)
    • Eggs
    • Light brown sugar
    • Baking powder
    • Baking soda
    • Pinch of salt
    • Optional mix-ins (like mini chocolate chips, slivered almonds, blueberries, raisins, etc.)

    For equipment, you need:

    • A blender. I have and recommend both a Vitamix (mine was bought refurbished in 2009 and is still going strong) and a KitchenAid K400 they kindly sent me to try out, and I love it as well (it's frequently the blender out on my counter!).
    • A long, thin spatula to help remove batter from the bottom of the blender.
    • Measuring cups and spoons.
    • A muffin tin.
    • A scoop (not required, you can totally use a spoon, but if you have a large scoop, it makes uniformly filling muffin tins so easy and a lot cleaner!)

    This page may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure here.

    ingredients in a blender to make blender spinach banana muffins

    How to Make Blender Spinach Banana Muffins

    1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Prepare a muffin pan by lightly spraying each muffin tin with nonstick spray, or lightly brush with a neutral oil of choice.
    2. Add ingredients in order they are written to a blender (start with wet ingredients on the bottom).
    3. Blend, starting on low speed and increasing to high, for one minute, or until there is a smooth batter. If adding any optional mix-ins, like fruit, nuts, or chocolate chips, stir those in now.
    4. Pour or scoop batter into prepared muffin pan.
    5. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

    Extra Tips to Best Make These Green Muffins

    • If you're using a muffin tin parchment liner, lightly spray the inside of the parchment liner with nonstick spray. These muffins are lower in fat compared to many typical muffin recipes, which can sometimes make them stick to parchment linings a bit.
    • If adding mix-ins, be sure to stir them in - do not use the blender. Using the blender can pulverize the mix-ins too much, which can also affect the finished muffin.
    • Use fresh spinach (not frozen).

    How to Freeze Muffins

    Allow muffins to cool completely, then place them on a baking sheet and put them in the freezer to flash freeze for an hour. They won't be fully frozen at this point, but the outsides will be frozen enough that they won't stick to each other in a container or bag.

    Transfer the muffins to a freezer-safe storage container or bag, and return to the freezer. They can be frozen up to 3-4 months.

    a green blender spinach banana muffin sliced in half to show the delicate crumb on a small plate

    Are these muffins healthy?

    I absolutely consider these spinach muffins as something that would fit in a balanced diet! They're much lighter than traditional muffins, at 122 calories, and also boast 5 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber. Naturally gluten-free and containing fruits and vegetables, they make a great kid-friendly snack or part of a breakfast (pair with a protein smoothie or a veggie scramble).

    Know, too, that “healthy” is subjective. The foods that help one maintain their health may or may not work for you - and that’s okay! Honor the body you have. As a registered dietitian nutritionist, I suggest eating a variety of nourishing foods that help you feel good and achieve or maintain your health, balanced with the foods you love. Remember - an election isn’t won with every vote, but the majority. Your health is the same way - the overall dietary pattern is what matters most.

    Try These Other Healthy Muffins

    • Healthy Pumpkin Muffins
    • Oatmeal Banana Muffins
    • Double Chocolate Banana Muffins
    • Savory Spinach Feta Muffins

    Did you make this recipe? Give it a 5★ rating below! For more healthy recipes and tips to create your own balanced relationship with food and health, be sure to follow Nutrition to Fit on Instagram!

    green spinach banana muffins on a metal tray - some with almonds, some plain, some with blueberries
    Print Recipe
    5 from 7 votes

    Spinach Banana Muffins

    These spinach banana muffins are a kid-friendly healthy blender muffin, lightly sweetened and full of fruits and veggies! Freezer-friendly for meal prep!
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time20 mins
    Total Time30 mins
    Course: Breakfast, Snack
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 12 muffins
    Calories: 122kcal
    Author: Lindsey Janeiro, RDN
    Cost: $1.87 recipe/ $0.16 muffin

    Equipment

    • Blender

    Ingredients

    • 2 large eggs
    • 2 very ripe large bananas
    • ½ cup nonfat, plain greek yogurt
    • ¼ cup light brown sugar
    • 2 cups spinach
    • 2 cups old-fashioned oats
    • ¼ cup ground flax seed
    • 1½ teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ½ cup optional mix-ins (i.e. chocolate chips, chopped nuts, fresh berries, dried fruit)

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 375°F. Prepare a muffin pan by lightly spraying each muffin tin with nonstick spray, or lightly brush with a neutral oil of choice.
    • Add ingredients in order they are written to a blender (start with wet ingredients on the bottom).
    • Blend, starting on low speed and increasing to high, for one minute, or until there is a smooth batter. If adding any optional mix-ins, like fruit, nuts, or chocolate chips, stir those in now.
    • Pour or scoop batter into prepared muffin pan.
    • Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
    • Let cool a few minutes before removing from pan.
    • To freeze, let cool completely, then flash freeze on a baking sheet for an hour. Transfer to a freezer-safe storage container or bag to be frozen up to 3-4 months.

    Notes

    Nutrition information is calculated without optional mix-ins.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 122kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 116mg | Potassium: 255mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 521IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 1mg

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sarah V. says

      March 26, 2020 at 4:33 pm

      These are great, thank you!

      Reply
      • Lindsey Janeiro, RDN, LDN says

        March 30, 2020 at 12:37 pm

        Thank you so much, glad you enjoyed them!

        Reply
    2. Mckenzie says

      May 08, 2020 at 6:33 pm

      I'm not a fan of banana muffins but my kiddos gobbled these up!! I added 1/4 cup of chocolate chips. Thanks!!

      Reply
      • Lindsey Janeiro, RDN, LDN says

        May 09, 2020 at 9:45 pm

        So glad your kids enjoyed them! My daughter loves adding chocolate chips, too. 🙂

        Reply
    3. Ak says

      May 31, 2020 at 11:06 am

      Can i skip or substitute flax seeds?

      Reply
      • Lindsey Janeiro, RDN, LDN says

        June 03, 2020 at 5:25 pm

        I haven't tried any substitutions. You may be able to substitute with more oats, but I haven't tried yet and am not sure at this time how it would affect the final product (taste/ texture).

        Reply
    4. Meaghan says

      June 26, 2020 at 8:38 am

      These are awesome! I didn’t have any ground flax so I subbed for milled chia seeds. Second time making them and they turned out perfect both times. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Lindsey Janeiro, RDN, LDN says

        June 26, 2020 at 8:49 am

        Yay, that sounds like a great substitution, thanks for letting us know!

        Reply
    5. Meaghan says

      June 26, 2020 at 8:44 am

      I also subbed out the 1/4 cup brown sugar for 2 tbsp of pure maple syrup and it was the perfect touch of sweetness

      Reply
      • Lindsey Janeiro, RDN, LDN says

        June 26, 2020 at 8:48 am

        I'll have to try them this way, too, thanks!

        Reply
    6. Jeannette says

      July 12, 2020 at 5:09 pm

      Is there a substitute for the yogurt?

      Reply
      • Lindsey Janeiro, RDN, LDN says

        July 19, 2020 at 6:13 pm

        I haven't made these muffins with anything substituted for the greek yogurt. You could try half melted butter or oil and half applesauce? I suspect that will change the taste and texture, but I'm not sure how much. Let me know if you try any subs and how they work out!

        Reply
    7. Kasey Kastler says

      August 25, 2020 at 4:17 pm

      Taste and texture is great! It doesn't even taste like a "healthy" muffin!

      Reply
      • Lindsey Janeiro, RDN, LDN says

        August 30, 2020 at 10:17 pm

        Thanks, Kasey! I love to hear this - healthy doesn't have to mean boring or bland! 🙂

        Reply
    8. Nat says

      November 23, 2020 at 12:40 pm

      Love the taste but so strange every time I make them the tops turn brown...

      Reply
      • Lindsey Janeiro, RDN, LDN says

        January 30, 2021 at 7:48 pm

        Try moving them to a lower rack in the oven, maybe your top rack is too close to a heating unit? If your oven runs hot, you can always knock off a couple minutes, too.

        Reply

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