Blueberry Banana Muffins

There are so many people on reduced sugar diets today, either out of necessity or choice, and luckily there are more options available now than ever before.  Whether you're a fan of sugar substitutes, like Splenda or stevia or you prefer more natural sweeteners, like fruit and maple syrup, you've got great choices for making sugar free and reduced sugar baked goods.  

When I'm baking for my own family, I like to use bananas, applesauce and dates as sweetener in my baked goods whenever possible.  If I need to sweeten something even more, I opt for a less  processed sweetener like honey, molasses, maple syrup or agave nectar.  As a last resort, I use stevia or brown sugar to make my baked goods sweet.   And then there are times when I use a combination of all my favorite sweeteners.  My homemade Fig Newtons for example, have a blend of dates, apple juice, applesauce and brown sugar all to create the perfect blend of fruity sweetness.  

Because I have a baking business, I probably use more sugar in a week than most people use in a year so I'm certainly not opposed to baking with sugar.  I've actually considered buying sugar in 50 pound bags because I go through it so quickly.  😂 

I crave sugar and it takes a whole lot of will power to NOT eat all of the desserts that are baked in my kitchen everyday.  Even though I COULD consume every leftover brownie and imperfect cupcake or cookie that I make, believe it or not, I TRY and show some restraint when it comes to sugar consumption. 

​I substitute fruit or more natural sweeteners for white sugar whenever possible.  These Blueberry Banana Muffins have a natural sweetness from the banana and some added stevia to boost the sweetness.  I think you will agree that these muffins are pretty SWEET.  😆

Blueberry Banana Muffins
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 mashed bananas
3/4 cup stevia sweetener or sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup blueberries

Streusel
2 Tablespoons stevia sweetener or sugar
2 Tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 Tablespoon butter 

Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Mash bananas with a fork. 

Stir sweetener, egg, vanilla and melted butter into banana. 

Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients.  

Fold in blueberries.  

Spoon into muffin cups. 

Process streusel ingredients in food processor.  

Sprinkle over muffins. 

Bake 14 minutes at 350 for mini muffins.

I've had really great luck substituting stevia for sugar in my recipes.  I use Truvia in a one to one substitution for the sugar in my recipes and it doesn't affect the texture or quality of the end result.  Just in case you want to give it a try - brownies sweetened with stevia are amazing.  

Ciao!

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