Protein-Packed Banana Blueberry Muffins

These banana blueberry muffins are moist, naturally sweet, and have enough protein to make them a reasonable breakfast rather than just a treat. Ripe bananas do most of the sweetening, blueberries add a burst of tartness, and a scoop of protein powder keeps the texture soft while bumping up the nutrition. Sugar Free Natura Powder keeps them low on added sugar without any aftertaste.

The batter comes together in one bowl and the muffins are done in about 20 minutes. They keep well for 3 days at room temperature or a week in the fridge, making them a good meal-prep option.

Ingredients

Makes 10–12 muffins

• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• ½ cup rolled oats
• 2 tbsp Sugar Free Natura Powder (adjust to taste)
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (approx. 30g)
• ½ cup curd (yogurt), whisked
• 2 eggs
• 3 tbsp coconut oil or any neutral oil, melted
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• A pinch of salt
• ¾ cup fresh or frozen blueberries
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method

Step 1 — Prep

Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Line a muffin tray with paper cases or grease lightly with oil.

Step 2 — Mix the Wet Ingredients

In a large bowl, mash the bananas until smooth. Add the eggs, curd, melted oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk until well combined.

Step 3 — Add the Dry Ingredients

Add the whole wheat flour, oats, protein powder, Sugar Free Natura Powder, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Fold gently with a spatula until just combined — a few lumps are fine. Do not overmix or the muffins will turn dense.

Step 4 — Fold in the Blueberries

Toss the blueberries in a teaspoon of flour (this stops them sinking to the bottom), then fold into the batter gently.

Step 5 — Bake

Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cases, filling each about three-quarters full. Bake for 18–22 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Tips

• Use very ripe bananas: The riper the banana, the sweeter and more flavourful the muffin. Spotted or blackened bananas are ideal.
• Don’t overmix: Once the flour goes in, fold just until no dry streaks remain. Overmixing develops gluten and makes the muffins tough.
• Frozen blueberries: Use them straight from the freezer — don’t thaw first or they’ll bleed into the batter.
• No protein powder: Replace with an equal weight of almond flour, or leave it out and reduce the curd by 2 tablespoons.
• Storage: Airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, refrigerated for up to a week, or frozen for up to a month.