I’m writing this article from a little breakfast nook, cup of tea in hand, at my mum’s house back in British Columbia. Finally starting to settle in and regain my energy—and sanity!—after the long, arduous journey, including sixteen hours of delays and rerouting from cars to planes to ferries. A challenging situation for any average person, made even more so with a small child in tow.
After thirteen years of travel back and forth between my two homes, I’m used to the slew of unexpected circumstances—and the subsequent emotions and waves of exhaustion—that arise when expectations don’t line up with reality. To navigate the stress without too much damage, it’s imperative to take extra care of my body and brain prior to a trip. Adequate sleep and nourishment from wholesome travel snacks are both crucial. When it comes to the optimal care of my body during a trek, I’m the person who packs a grocery bag of food as my carry on.
These protein-packed muffins are the perfect portable snack to take on the road. Nutrient dense, lightweight, kid friendly, and easy to scarf down when I feel my blood sugar drop. Loaded with sustainable energy from oats, eggs, and banana, and boasting an impressive 8g or so of protein per muffin. These babies don’t contain any added sugar—the only sweetener is the natural sugar from the fruit. (And you can help keep your sugar low with an organic, grass-fed protein supplement). I make these muffins in a big batch and keep them in the freezer. When the hunger sets in, they’re always around for a quick bite.
Peanut Butter and Banana Protein Muffins
Prep time: 10 minutes
Bake time: 30 minutes
Makes 24 muffins
Ingredients
3 large, overripe bananas, mashed
½ cup unsweetened peanut butter
3 large eggs
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup milk, buttermilk, kefir, yogurt, or a combination
1 cup quick oats
2 tablespoons flax meal
1 cup organic, sugar-free, grass-fed whey protein powder
1¼ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 2 muffin pans with paper liners.
- Whisk together bananas, peanut butter, eggs, applesauce, vanilla, and dairy.
- Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients.
- Divide muffin batter among muffin pans (24 total). Bake until cooked through, about 30 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and finish cooling on rack.
Image from Briana Goodall.
