Banana Chocolate Protein Muffins

My latest thing is Clif Bars.  It was never my goal to adopt this expensive habit, but alas...here we are.  I bought a large box of them at Costco.  Why?

Well, I like to know that I have something with me to eat while on the road (i.e. out shopping for the day, running errands, etc.) that will have good-for-me ingredients, tastes good, and will fill me up.  Especially because I always seem to be out and about around a mealtime.  Clif bars pretty much fit this description.

However, they are rather...calorie-laden.  About 240 per bar.  So that's not a snack.  That's more like a meal replacement and I've taken to eating one for lunch with Greek yogurt a couple of times a week.

So I wanted something with protein and flavor without quite so many calories.  I'm one of those who are guilty of not eating breakfast because it's really early and I'm just not quite feeling hungry yet.  If I have something I can take with me to eat right before school starts, the world would be an easier place for me to exist in.  I'm sure of it.

Banana Chocolate Protein Muffins

makes 12 muffins

1-2 ripe, mashed bananas

1 1/4 cups flour

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 scoop (about 1/8 a cup) of chocolate whey protein powder

1/3 cup sugar

3/4 t. baking soda

2 egg whites

1 t. vanilla

2 T. softened butter

1/2 cup milk (you probably won't need it all)

1 cup old-fashioned oats

1 cup chocolate chips

Cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Mix well.  Stir in the protein powder, cocoa powder, baking soda, flour, and oats.  Mix well and add milk a little at a time until the batter reaches desired "muffin-batter" consistency.  Add in the banana and mix well.  Stir in the chocolate chips. 

Spoon into liners in a muffin tin and bake at 325 degrees for 18-20 minutes.

*Inspired by skinnytaste.com.  

I was out of applesauce so I omitted it and the muffins turned out just fine. 

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