The peanut flour used in this recipe was provided by #Foodiechats in partnership with the Georgia Peanut Commission. No additional compensation was received, and all opinions are my own.
If you like chocolate VitaTops, try my peanut butter chocolate muffins. I took out the added sugar and packed these treats with bananas and sweet potato for a phytonutrient boost. They’re a fun after school snack for kids!
My Rainbow Veggies Salad with Georgia Peanut Sauce recipe is not the end of peanut-related goodness on this site. One of the things I was gifted from Georgia Peanuts was a bag of peanut flour. I thought it would be the perfect ingredient to incorporate into these muffins.
Peanut flour can be used as an alternative flour for those on gluten-free diets or those avoiding grains. It is not a whole food in the sense that it is what is left after pressing peanuts for oil.
However, I liked using it as a low-calorie, lower-fat way to enjoy the peanut flavor when I was on my weight loss journey. It has more protein than wheat flour, which may provide additional staying power. (And technically, since I occasionally use green peanut oil as well, I am sort of getting the whole food.)
I am using peanut flour from Oliver Farm, but various brands of this flour are found in many major grocery stores. Oliver Farm also has some really cool and unusual flours that are not easily found elsewhere. I’m going to have to try the pumpkin flour and pecan flour sometime!
Peanut flour can be mixed with water to make a lower-fat peanut drizzle for yogurt or a dip for fruit. Or you can use it in these peanut butter chocolate muffins.
Let me tell you about these muffins!
This yummy peanut butter chocolate muffin recipe is a spinoff of one of my former RD preceptor’s recipes. I did change a bunch of things to make it my own (of course).
First of all, her muffins were flavored with cinnamon, but I wanted chocolate. Second, I am using peanut flour, where her recipe used regular peanut butter. My substitution was an easy way to cut the fat and calories without sacrificing flavor.
Third, I added some flax and chopped peanut garnish, just because I wanted to. The results would be a great substitute for VitaTop muffins or other low-calorie store-bought baked goods.
If you read my weight loss story, you know that I used small snacks as part of my meal plans for my 70-lb weight loss. I found it much easier to enjoy small portions of treats rather than give them up completely. Over time, my diet improved, and now I skip the added sugar most days.
(P.S. Some fare better starting out abstaining from treats rather than moderating, and that is OK too!)
One of the treats I enjoyed earlier in my weight loss journey was the 100-calorie VitaTop muffins. They lived in the freezer, so I could not mindlessly graze on them throughout the day. My muffin recipe is similar calorie-wise but contains fruits, veggies, and no added sugar.
However, this wouldn’t be my top pick for a food that is supportive of weight loss. I do like these as an afterschool snack for kids, and I kept the batch in the fridge for my son. Unfortunately, with the muffins so readily available, my husband and I both ended up eating more than our son did!
Learn from our mistakes and remain mindful of your muffins. Haha
And now for the disclaimer…
All recipes on this website may or may not be appropriate for you, depending on your medical needs and personal preferences. Consult with a registered dietitian or your physician if you need help determining the dietary pattern that may be best for you.
The calorie information is an estimate provided as a courtesy. It will differ depending on the specific brands and ingredients that you use. Calorie information on food labels may be wildly inaccurate, so please don’t sweat the numbers too much.
For more information on how the three recipe levels may help with a weight management goal, refer to this post. Let’s get cooking!
Peanut Butter Chocolate Muffins (Grain-Free, No Added Sugar)
Ingredients
- 1 sweet potato, peeled, chopped
- 3 medium ripe bananas, mashed
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ c peanut flour (defatted)
- 1½ T dark cocoa powder
- 2 t baking powder
- 2 T ground flax
- 6 T chopped peanuts (skinless, salted is fine)
- cooking oil spray of choice
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Mist a 12-compartment muffin tray with the oil spray.
- Simmer your sweet potato in a small pot of water on the stovetop until soft. It will take about 20 minutes. Drain the sweet potato and mash it. You will need ¾ c of the mashed sweet potato for this recipe.
- Mash the bananas if you haven't yet.
- Put the bananas, eggs, peanut flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, flax, and the ¾ c mashed sweet potato in a food processor or high-speed blender. Blend it into a smooth batter. You may need to stop and scrape down the sides of the processor with a spatula several times if the ingredients are sticking to the sides.
- Divide the batter evenly between the 12 compartments of your muffin tray.
- Sprinkle the chopped peanuts over the tops of the muffins.
- Bake your muffins for 20-25 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center of a cooked muffin should come out with crumbs.
- Important! To optimize your eating experience, let the muffins cool and chill completely before digging in. They become firmer and less crumbly as they cool. Enjoy!
Notes
This is a level 3 recipe (weight maintenance and active lifestyles). I know I’ve mentioned this before, but I am not a fan of “better-for-you” baked goods for those with a weight loss goal. That includes this recipe. These muffins are only 90 calories, but like other items made with flour, it can be challenging to stop at an appropriate portion size. On the other hand, I think this is an excellent choice for those with higher energy needs, such as growing teenage boys. Spread some creamy peanut butter on these muffins to increase the energy-density even more. (Yum!) I had success freezing a muffin and heating it for 45-50 seconds in the microwave (taken straight from the freezer). I thought they reheated reasonably well, though they were not quite as good as when they were fresh. If you tend to be finicky about texture differences, consider making a half batch rather than freezing them.
Nutrition
Have you ever tried peanut flour? What sort of recipes do you use it in? Feel free to drop me a link to your favorite peanut flour recipe in the comments below!
Peanut flour, eh? That's a new one for me. I've used rice flour and almond flour before in recipes, and a gluten-free friend has told me of a few others, but this the first time I've come across this one.
Promising introduction, Summer! Chocolate-peanut butter is one of the all-time top combinations, and you've given it texture and dimension.
A bit of an indulgence, maybe, but you've shown, repeatedly, how to make the path to improvement an enjoyable one. Though approaches vary, as you mention, the secret is to moderate, not to eliminate, indulgences.
Thank you so much. When I see a sweet recipe with peanut butter I usually want to figure out a way to cram some chocolate in there. 🙂 It's definitely a popular pairing!
It's funny looking back on this, written before the schools closed. I guess I don't have to worry anymore about the adults eating all of the after school snacks before the kiddo returns home from school, eh? Haha
These look DELICIOUS!!! Will def try this when i fix my oven hahah
Thank you so much! I hope that you are able to get your oven working again soon. 🙂