Banana-Banana Muffins

I figured it was only proper for my first recipe entry to be muffins. So here they are, my Banana-Banana Muffins! With their brown sugar topping and warm banana-y insides, they are perfectly sweetened and very moist.

But unlike most banana muffin recipes, these guys aren't weighed down with loads of sugar and fat because many of their ingredients are naturally sweet and moist (bananas, applesauce, vanilla yogurt, etc). Ohhhh and they make the house smell soooo goooood..... Also, you can add a 1/2 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts to this recipe for a little added crunch. Yum!

Banana-Banana Muffins
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1-1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup banana, mashed
1/2 cup fat free vanilla yogurt (I use Dannon Light 'n Fit)
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 whole egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
12 banana slices (1/8-inch to 1/4-inch thick)
2 tbsp brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a nonstick muffin tin with cooking spray or line with muffin liners.

Mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, and salt in a medium sized bowl. In a large bowl, combine the mashed banana, applesauce, yogurt, egg, and vanilla; mix well. Add the dry ingredients into the wet and mix until just combined. BE CAREFUL NOT TO OVERMIX! There should still be a few tiny traces of flour in the batter, that's OK!

Divide the batter evenly between 12 muffin cups. Top each with a banana slice. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Bake for 18-19 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan. Store extras in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and reheat for 10-15 seconds when ready to eat.

Yield: 12 muffins
152 calories per muffin