Skinny Tropical Muffins

Oh my you have to try these tropical muffins.  A healthy spin on a super yummy treat!!

Ingredients:

• 2 and 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour (or mix of whole wheat and all-purpose)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup honey (or maple syrup)
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, loosely packed (or dark brown sugar)
• 1 cup mashed very ripe banana (about 2 large very ripe bananas)
• 1/4 cup nonfat vanilla greek yogurt (or any yogurt)
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 3/4 cup milk (almond milk, soymilk, cow's milk, rice milk)
• zest from 1 orange
• 1 and 1/4 cup fresh pineapple, diced
• 1 thinly sliced banana for topping
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut, optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325F degrees. Spray 15 muffin tins with nonstick spray.* Set aside.

In a large bowl, gently toss the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together until combined. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, mix the honey and brown sugar together - it will be thick and lumpy. Try to get out as many lumps as you can - a fork works well to break it up. Add the mashed banana, yogurt, and beaten egg. Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Gently begin to fold it all together. It will be very thick. Add the milk slowly and continue to gently mix the ingredients together. The milk will thin everything out, but the batter will still remain thick. Fold in the orange zest and pineapple. Do not overmix the batter, which will lend tough, dense-textured muffins.

Divide the batter between 15 muffin tins. Fill all the way to the top. Top with 2-3 thin slices of the sliced banana and a sprinkle of coconut. Bake the first 12, then the last three in another batch. Fill the empty muffin tins halfway with water in the 2nd batch to ensure even baking. Bake for 17-18 minutes until very lightly browned on the edges. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean. Allow the muffins to cool completely.

Makes 15 muffins. Muffins taste best the next day, like most banana bread recipes.  Muffins remain fresh and moist stored at room temperature for up to 5 days.  Muffins freeze well, up to 3 months.