Healthy Banana-Oat Muffins

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place a rack in the lower third of the oven. Spray a mini muffin pan with cooking spray.

2. Combine water and flaxseed meal in a bowl and let sit 5 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, whisk flour, oats, brown sugar, and salt together in a bowl and set aside.

4. Mix thickened flaxseed, bananas, honey, yogurt, egg, applesauce, coconut oil, and vanilla extract together in a bowl. Stir flour mixture into the banana mixture. Fold in chocolate chips and walnuts.

5. Use an ice cream scooper to scoop batter into the prepared muffin tin. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top.

6. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean but without overbaking, about 18 minutes.

7. Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Freeze if desired.

Cook's Notes:

Feel free to substitute canola oil for coconut oil if you prefer. Feel free to substitute agave for honey. Try rock sugar instead of cinnamon-sugar on top, if desired.

If you use frozen bananas, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and dump everything in the bowl to mash together.

Coconut oil is solid below 76 degrees F. If the other ingredients are cold, you may have hardening of the coconut oil until it all comes to room temperature.

Bake about 25 minutes for larger muffins and 45 to 55 minutes for a loaf.