Banana Spinach Almond Butter Muffins

by Carolina Jantac, MS, RD, LD  •  Jump to Recipe
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We’re sharing our Banana Spinach Almond Butter Muffins recipe today in just a bit. Pairing vegetables with a tasty dip is a common practice to get kids to eat more vegetables. Unfortunately, the quality of the dip can compromise the nutrient density of the snack if not chosen carefully. How about nut and seed butters as dips? It sounds so obvious once you think about it, but nut butter-based dips are not commonly prepared or served. Nut and seed butters have a clear advantage over most dips such as mayonnaise-based ones, due to their higher content of protein, vitamins, minerals and healthy fats. In addition, they are just so simple to pair with raw vegetables! You have a variety of options using our Once Again Nut Butters. Our sunflower seed butter is a fantastic match for carrot sticks; peanut butter goes so well with celery and snap peas; almond butter complements red and green peppers, while cashew butter offers a nutty twist to cauliflower and cherry tomatoes. Tahini is in its very own category— you can dip anything in tahini and the results are mouth-watering, creating very fulfilling snacks and /or appetizers.

We aren’t alone in thinking that raw vegetables and Once Again nut and seed butters are heavenly matches. A study published in 2003 in the Journal of Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prevention, showed that kids who dip their vegetables in peanut butter consumed more vegetables and increased the variety of vegetables eaten. This was even observed in children who are part of the “vegetable resistance,” picky eaters when it comes to fruits and vegetables. We can almost hear moms gasping for air as they read this! Could this be a turning point for your picky eater? It is most definitely worth the try, don’t you think?

How about we take this recipe up a level higher? Let’s not only offer Once Again Nut Butters as dips for raw vegetables, but let’s bring vegetables into some family favorite snacks and treats! This recipe for Banana Spinach Almond Butter Muffins adds fresh spinach to a fan-favorite banana mini-muffin. The additional ingredients were chosen carefully as well not to compromise the nutrient density, so they can be served as breakfast foods or snacks. We used only honey as a sweetener and allowed the natural sugars of the banana and almond butter to gleam through. The choice of oat flour and flax meal increases the fiber content. If you’d like to keep these muffins vegan, use flax eggs; this substitution should work well as it has in past muffin recipes like this one. Let us know if you try the vegan option— We want to know how yours turns out!

These Banana Spinach Almond Butter Muffins freeze very well. We suggest freezing them in plastic sealed bags, pre-portioned with 3-4 in each bag for easy grab-and-go lunch box items just right for the kids.

Want another muffin recipe? Try our High Fiber Mini-Muffins recipe!

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