Banana Zucchini Toddler Muffins

Elaine is eight months old, and she loves eating solid food. (Insert the cliche...she's growing up so fast!! Sniffle.) I've been making some purees, buying some jarred baby food, and feeding her bits from the table. I'm trying to keep it low pressure and fun for all of us.

Elaine is much more into self-feeding than Danny was. It's still pretty tricky for her to get food into her mouth, but she's persistent! I've been trying to figure out healthy foods that are easy for her to eat herself...things that aren't too slippery or crunchy. It dawned on me that muffins might be just the ticket. She can hold them in her little fists and chomp them up with her two tiny teeth.

My pal Therese directed me to her favorite healthy toddler muffin recipe that was full of fruit and veggies. I tweaked it a little, and I was thrilled with the results. So were my kids.

Let's get cooking!
Erin

P.S. Want more baby food recipes? Check out this post about some of my favorite homemade purees, including sweet potato and chicken baby food.

Banana Zucchini Toddler Muffins
Adapted from A Song of Sixpence
Makes about 28 mini muffins

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup brown sugar*
2 very ripe bananas, mashed
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 zucchini, shredded
1 cup flour
1/4 cup chia seeds
1/4 cup quick oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a mini muffin pan and set aside.

Stir together oil, applesauce, brown sugar, bananas, eggs, and vanilla extract until combined. Stir in zucchini.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, chia seeds, oats, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.

Fill mini muffin cups with batter. (I filled mine almost to the top.) Bake for about 15-17 minutes, until muffins spring back when touched and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

*This is not a lot of sugar, so these muffins have just a hint of sweetness. This is perfect for the baby, but just know that this isn't your standard sweet muffin. If you're looking for that, you might want to check out Coconut Carrot Muffins or Blueberry Zucchini Bread.