Vegan Chocolate Banana Bread Muffins (Gluten, Dairy, and Nut Free)

Have you ever baked something for an event and had everyone ask you for the recipe? That's a tell tale sign that it's good. These muffins are one of those recipes. They're a guaranteed hit! I've made them and taken them to a few events, most recently a meet up with the Michigan BBG girls, and they were a hit! 

It's no secret that I love banana bread in any form, but these muffins really speak for themselves. They're allergy friendly, the macros are awesome, and you don't have to be vegan to enjoy them! Plus there's no crazy ingredients! I've had plenty of non-vegans eat them, love them, and be shocked to learn they're vegan and allergy friendly. These muffins are ridiculously moist, fluffy, and when you warm them up it's like having dessert! 

Chocolate Banana Bread Muffins

• 3 banana, mashed
• 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 1.5 cups gluten free all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup special dark chocolate cocoa powder (check to ensure it's vegan)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• OPTIONAL: small handful dark chocolate chips (check to ensure they're vegan)

Preheat oven to 350F degrees and line two 12 tin muffin pans with liners.

In a large mixing bowl combine gluten free flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda. When those are combined mix in light brown sugar.

Next, add in almond milk, coconut oil, and vanilla. Mix until well combined and a batter forms.

Add mashed bananas into batter and stir very well to distribute banana throughout.

Scoop batter into muffins tins until tins are about 1/2 full. 

Add chocolate chips on top if using. 

Bake at 350F degrees for 15-20 minutes. The muffins are done when a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean. 

Allow muffins to cool slightly before eating. Store in an airtight container in the fridge (they'd probably be ok on the counter for a few days) or freeze for up to six months.

If you make these amazingly delicious muffins take a picture, tag me on instagram, and use the hashtag #thesimplelife I'd love to see your creations! Don't forget to like my new Facebook page! 

Nutrition (per muffin):

MACROS: 12C/3F/1P

Nutrition Facts
Servings 24.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 76
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 3 g	5 %
Saturated Fat 3 g	13 %
Monounsaturated Fat 0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg	0 %
Sodium 47 mg	2 %
Potassium 85 mg	2 %
Total Carbohydrate 12 g	4 %
Dietary Fiber 1 g	3 %
Sugars 4 g
Protein 1 g	1 %
Vitamin A	1 %
Vitamin C	2 %
Calcium	3 %
Iron	2 %

5 Ingredient Granola Bars

Happy Saturday!! It is an absolutely gorgeous day here and I cannot wait to get outside! I'm also stoked for today because it is our second BBG meet up and I'm leading the workout! I'm definitely nervous because I've never lead so many people, but the girls are fantastic and I know they will make my nerves disappear! 

After the workout we are going to have a potluck and some of the dishes the girls are bringing sound AMAZING! I'm excited for the workout, but I think I may be more excited for the food (story of my life) haha. I whipped up some vegan+GF chocolate banana bread muffins yesterday (I'll share the recipe next week) and this morning I made some granola bars. I used to eat so many granola bars as a kid, but there's so many fake ingredients that I now shutter. Granola bars are so easy to make that I'm not sure why I didn't do it sooner! All you need is 5 ingredients and 25 minutes- that's it! 

Granola Bars

• 2 cups GF oats
• 2 Tablespoons ground flaxseed
• 1/2 cup nut butter of choice (I used smooth peanut butter)
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips, divided

Preheat oven to 350F degrees and line a 8x8 pan with tinfoil or spray with coconut oil. 

In a mixing bowl combine oats, flax seed, and 2 Tablespoons of chocolate chips.

In a separate microwave safe bowl combine nut butter and honey and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir nut butter and honey together if the nut butter is still very thick and not partly liquid microwave for an additional 15 seconds and stir again. 

Pour nut butter/honey combo over dry ingredients and stir. Make sure all dry ingredients are coated with liquid- the chocolate chips will get partly melted with the liquid ingredients, but that's ok! It spread the chocolate throughout more of the dough. 

Scoop oat mixture into lined 8x8 pan and using your hands or a spoon press down the mixture until it is evenly distributed throughout the pan. 

Bake granola bars at 350F degrees for 15-20 minutes. The bars will be done with the edges have darkened and the oats are golden in color- it took about 18 minutes in my oven. 

Allow granola bars to cool before cutting into 12 bars. Store in airtight container on counter for 1 week or freeze the bars for up to 6 months. 

If you make these granola bars take a picture, tag me on instagram, and use the hashtag #thesimplelife I'd love to see your creations! Don't forget to like my new Facebook page! 

Chocolate Coconut Energy Balls

I've been on an energy ball roll lately (no pun intended). They're so easy to make, easy to pack for snacking on the go, they prevent hanger, which prevents road rage (true story), and there are literally endless combinations to try! 

In the past month I've probably made more than a dozen batches of energy balls. Not all of them have been for me, but a lot of them have :D I have gotten my mom addicted to them too. Now she always packs a few with her before she goes anywhere so she can snack on the go. This batch is probably my favorite so far because they taste like a tropical get away- they're sweet with a hint of nutty and the coconut coating gives it a sweet crunch. All I need is these energy balls, a Mai Tai, and to be on the beach in Maui and life would be perfect!!

Coconut Energy Balls

• 6 dates, pitted
• 2 Tablespoons chocolate protein powder
• 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter (or nut butter of choice)
• OPTIONAL: 1 Tablespoon unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

In a food processor combine dates, protein powder, peanut butter, and 1 TBS coconut flakes (if using). Process until everything is combined into a coarse, loose dough. 

Place coconut flakes into a container or bowl.

Take dough and roll into tablespoon sized balls- I was able to get about . After forming a ball roll it in coconut flakes until it's coated. Repeat with remaining dough.

Store energy balls in an airtight container in the fridge or you can freeze them- they're so good frozen in dairy free yogurt!! 

If you make these yummy energy balls take a picture, tag me on instagram, and use the hashtag #thesimplelife I'd love to see your creations! Don't forget to like my new Facebook page!