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Kale Banana Muffins

September 9, 2016 By Marci Lutsky

Banana Kale Muffins

So we are about two weeks into the school year.  How are you doing with school lunches and snacks? I hear from a lot of people that they start off strong in this area and then the offerings get boring.  Well, here is a healthy muffin recipe that you will gladly pack for school snacks or lunches as well enjoy yourself at home.  These kale banana muffins are full of clean, healthy ingredients and are delicious. Therefore, they are sometimes called natural without side effects – so whether or not you will learn from the link. If you make them in the mini muffin size, they are about two bites and the perfect snack. The first batch I made was gone in about a day so I quickly made a second batch with some adjustments to the original recipe.  I loved the results and everyone in my house loved them too!

You start by combining kale and a bunch of wet ingredients in a blender.  I usually have ripe bananas on my counter staring me down.  This is a great use for those.  Plus bananas add the perfect amount of sweetener.

Kale Mixture

Next combine the dry ingredients in a bowl.  I added a teaspoon of chia seeds to give the muffins some extra nutritional value.  I try to do this whenever possible since chia seeds are so good for you.  Combine the kale mixture with the dry ingredients and give that a good stir.  The combined mixture will be thick, like a pancake batter.

Combined Mixtures

Spoon them into your muffin tin and cook them for about 12 minutes.

Muffin Batter

There was a recall recently of a popular mini muffin brand.  If you have ever looked at the ingredients and amount of sugar in those muffins, it will make you want to make your own.  These muffins are healthy and have the perfect amount of sweetness.  You will feel good about packing them with your kids, especially in these reusable bags from Blue Avocado.  Give them a try but be warned, they are addictive and won’t last long!

Kale Muffins

Banana Kale

Kale Banana Muffins
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Ingredients

  • 1 egg
  • 2 cups kale
  • 1 ripe banana
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1.5 cups whole wheat flour
  • 1 teaspoon chia seeds
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350. Combine egg through vanilla extract in a blender or food processor until well blended. In a mixing bowl combine flour through salt with a whisk. Add wet mixture to dry ingredients and stir with a spoon. Will be thick, like a pancake batter. Spoon mixture into muffin tin that has been greased or sprayed with cooking spray. If making mini muffins cook for 12 minutes. If making regular muffins, cook for 17 muffins. Cool and enjoy!

Notes

Recipe adapted from www.thetribemagazine.com

7.8.1.2
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https://veggingonthemountain.com/2016/09/kale-banana-muffins/

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Filed Under: Breads, Breakfast

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Comments

  1. beachgirl52 says

    September 10, 2016 at 09:53

    I have everything on hand to make these except for apple sauce and whole wheat flour. Going to sub in some almond butter and oats. Will let you know how they turn out!
    • gina says

      January 26, 2017 at 01:36

      Hi beachgirl52, Wondering how using almond butter & oats turned out - thanks!
    • Chelsea says

      February 23, 2017 at 08:25

      How'd it turn out? Im short on applesauce myself..
    • Annie says

      August 7, 2017 at 21:31

      I would grate an apple fir added texture and less sugar.
  2. Felicia says

    February 18, 2017 at 14:38

    can I use coconut flour instead of whole wheat?
    • Marci Lutsky says

      February 23, 2017 at 08:51

      Coconut flour would probably work fine. I've heard from a reader who used oat flour to make them gluten-free and she said they turned out great.
      • Debbie says

        July 16, 2020 at 15:40

        Hi, Can Almond Flour work, and if It does what amount would I use?
        • Marci Lutsky says

          July 19, 2020 at 08:21

          Yes it will work and it should be the same amount as regular or whole wheat flour.
    • PaoPao says

      May 26, 2017 at 08:48

      You can probably use coconut flour if you are very familiar with how it bakes. Coconut flour is a very different flour -- you use very little and add tons of eggs so you wouldn't sub 1:1 with whole weath flour.
  3. NP says

    February 28, 2017 at 15:23

    Need to cook more like 20 minutes!
  4. nsalama1 says

    March 17, 2017 at 16:13

    These look fantastic! I wonder if my son would eat kale as long as it's in muffin form? Worth a try right! Nicole | The Professional Mom Project
  5. Olivia says

    March 29, 2017 at 00:46

    Would love to try this recipe! Can you clarify something for me? Do you used 2 cups of packed kale or loose kale? Probably a stupid question but I wanna use as much as I can with making them too...kale-y. lol thank you :)
    • Marci Lutsky says

      March 29, 2017 at 10:32

      Hi Olivia. I would say loosely packed. I would go with less on your first batch to see how you like it. And then add more for additional batches. I always make these when I have kale to use up so I don't measure exactly. The recipe is pretty forgiving. Let me know how they turn out!
  6. diana says

    May 1, 2017 at 20:11

    I wondered, if that is raw kale or cooked. Seeing how it's lightly packed...I'm thinking raw. Sorry guys, not much of a baker or cook, so the obvious, isn't so obvious to me.
    • Marci Lutsky says

      May 1, 2017 at 21:56

      Hi Diana. That's a good question. It's raw kale. If you try it, let me know how it turns out.
  7. Que says

    May 5, 2017 at 20:24

    Do these do well frozen?
    • Marci Lutsky says

      May 8, 2017 at 06:50

      I've never frozen them because they don't last that long in my house. They should freeze just fine. Thanks for stopping by the blog!
  8. Tami says

    May 9, 2017 at 15:41

    Can these be made without egg? you are already using apple sauce & chia seeds, both are good egg substitutes.
    • Marci Lutsky says

      May 9, 2017 at 16:15

      These muffins are pretty moist so I would give it a try, maybe increase the applesauce a bit if you eliminate egg. Report back!
  9. Michelle says

    May 14, 2017 at 20:24

    I absolutely love these! My new favourite muffin!
  10. Miranda Lea Parks says

    June 29, 2017 at 21:52

    So I just made these followed the recipe but they came out grainy and flavorless. I noticed the mixture was quite think before baking thicker than pancake batter so I added a bit more applesauce. 1.5 cups stands for 1 and 1/2 cup of flour correct? Also could it just be the type of whole wheat flour I have? Because I rarely use it.
    • Marci Lutsky says

      June 29, 2017 at 22:18

      Hi Miranda. Thanks for stopping by the blog. Yes, 1.5 is for 1 1/2 cups. Sorry to hear these didn't turn out well for you. The batter will definitely be thick. The only thing I can think of would be the flour. Check back if you give this recipe another try.
    • mealplanmama says

      August 14, 2017 at 21:09

      Hi! I just made this muffins and I'm trying to like them. But, I'm having to agree with this review. They're a little dry, a little bitter (duh - kale), but more or less without flavor. Since they're a little more savory than they are sweet, I'm struggling with what should be added to give them more flavor. I had a little bit of batter left so I did an experiment. - cinnamon .... okay, not a lot of flavor to really boost the muffins. - blueberries ... definitely helped. - chocolate chips... not my favorite. I love chocolate, but combining the sweetness of chocolate with the bitter kale did not work for me. Hmmm.. hopefully my baby likes them because I just made two batches!
      • Marci Lutsky says

        August 14, 2017 at 21:22

        Thanks for giving the recipe a try and stopping by the blog. If you find they are dry, I would try adding more applesauce and if they are lacking in flavor or not sweet enough, a cinnamon applesauce would definitely help. I like the clean taste of them and that they are not overly sweet.
  11. Hailey says

    July 19, 2017 at 18:00

    When you say combine egg through vanilla, does that mean all of the ingredients listed between those two?
    • Marci Lutsky says

      July 20, 2017 at 08:33

      Yes, that's what it means. Thanks for stopping by the blog Hailey!
  12. Seneca says

    September 27, 2017 at 16:14

    I just made these for a road trip my husband and I are going on. We're vegan, so I used a flax egg instead of a real egg. I used 2 big kale leaves instead of measuring it out, and I also folded in some vegan chocolate chips toward the end. Other than that I followed the recipe directions and they came out amazing. They have just the right amount of flavor and sweetness for us! Great recipe and I'll definitely be making these again!
  13. Marjorie says

    October 7, 2017 at 07:25

    I don't have maple syrup so what can I substitute in it's place. I am trying to watch my sugar intake.
    • Marci Lutsky says

      October 7, 2017 at 20:26

      If you have agave nectar that would be a great substitute or you could do honey.
  14. Kristen Assell says

    November 28, 2017 at 21:19

    Love the addition of kale, I'm always trying to sneak veggies into my kids! I have made a version before with banana and oat flour, but after committing to a Costco size bag o kale, I am doing all the kale things! LOL. Based on the other reviews I added a teaspoon of cinnamon, a cup of blueberries, 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk, and up the applesauce to 2/3 cups. Also I used spelt flour bc that's what I had. They were lovely! Much less dense than the oat flour version. I call them Hulk muffins, or frog food to get the green things eaten in our house by little ones. 😁
    • Marci Lutsky says

      November 28, 2017 at 21:49

      Glad you enjoyed the muffins!
  15. Steph says

    February 26, 2018 at 19:21

    Hi! We love these muffins and have made them several times! My daughter is particularly obsessed! I have a bunch of spinach I need to use up and wondering if I could swap that out for the kale? Thanks!
    • Marci Lutsky says

      February 26, 2018 at 20:43

      So glad to hear your daughter loves them! Spinach would work just fine. Thanks for stopping by!
  16. Nadia says

    May 4, 2018 at 17:41

    These are so delicious! I did make some changes though. I used honey instead of maple syrup, a fresh medium-sized apple instead of apple sauce, and substituted hazelnut flour for 1 cup of whole wheat (and used another 1/2 cup of whole wheat). They came out great! My toddlers loved them. Definitely making them again
    • Marci Lutsky says

      May 4, 2018 at 21:15

      So glad to hear that!
  17. Grace says

    June 27, 2018 at 03:10

    I was wondering, what else can you use as a substitute for apple sauce? I don't have any in hand at the moment. And can you use regular flour instead of whole wheat? Can I sub coconut oil with olive oil?
  18. Melanie says

    February 18, 2019 at 10:46

    Can you use frozen kale?
    • Marci Lutsky says

      February 19, 2019 at 07:07

      Yes, just make sure to defrost and squeeze out excess moisture. Enjoy!
  19. Karen says

    July 30, 2019 at 15:05

    It is kale season here and up until now, I have only used my kale for smoothies. I was very excited to find this recipe and make the kale banana muffins. THEY DID NOT DISAPPOINT! They were delicious! I have three children, and even my pickiest eater has eaten several of the mini muffins and already requested that I make more. When all three of my kids like something, that is a homerun in my book! Looks like the kale patch will planted bigger next year for this recipe alone!
    • Marci Lutsky says

      July 31, 2019 at 14:54

      So glad to hear that! Thanks for stopping by the blog!
  20. Miranda says

    July 24, 2020 at 10:41

    Can I use protein powder instead of flour?
    • Marci Lutsky says

      July 28, 2020 at 09:12

      This recipe is very versatile and forgiving so I would try it. Please report back on how it turns out!
  21. Kristin says

    December 23, 2020 at 11:58

    I AND my kids love these. My 4 year old literally asked for thirds this morning. I substituted spinach because it’s what I had and a flax seed egg. Will be making again!

Trackbacks

  1. Sneaky Recipes for Picky Eaters — The Coffee Mom says:
    May 26, 2017 at 08:04
    […] awesome recipe I found from a fellow blogger,Vegging at the Shore, was Kale Banana Muffins. Again, they sound terrible and they do turn out a little green, but they taste amazing! With my […]
  2. Eat More Veggies by Thinking Out of the Salad Bowl - A Sweat Life says:
    April 5, 2018 at 14:42
    […] You can kick off your day with these kale banana muffins… […]
  3. Healthy Kale Recipes ~ 25+ Delicious Ways to Enjoy Kale! | HealthyGreenSavvy says:
    July 4, 2018 at 14:01
    […] Kale Banana Muffins (Vegging At the Shore) […]
  4. KALE BANANA MUFFINS – foodahead.com says:
    June 12, 2019 at 11:43
    […] Click Here to view complete recipe […]

Thank you for stopping by Vegging on the Mountain! My name is Marci and I live in the beautiful Green Mountain State of Vermont with my husband, 14 year-old twins and sweet dog.

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