Banana-Chocolate Olive Oil Muffins

A couple of weeks ago my husband bought a really nice new camera--a mirrorless DSLR, the Sony Nex-5--and I frankly know very little about it (not a great sign for a food blogger, right?) but I am eager to learn. The funny thing is that I've been experimenting using it to take pictures not of our three beautiful children, but of food, like these delicious muffins (possibly a good sign for a food blogger?) The truth is, muffins don't squirm and don't cry, they don't have to all smile at the same time, and I can easily move them around to where I want them.

My kids, not so much.

These banana-chocolate olive oil muffins are great for plenty of other reasons besides being photogenic, though. With their use of olive oil, all whole wheat flour, and no refined sugar, they are a healthier alternative to a heckuva lot of other muffins recipes out there (I'm looking at you, streusel topping). And in my opinion, they're some of the best muffins I've ever made--really moist, not too overpoweringly banana-y, with a little kick of chocolate inside. 

These never seem to last long in our house, though, because they are such a hit with my (also photogenic, if not easily movable) kids. Here's one of them:

Banana-Chocolate Olive Oil Muffins
(Adapted from Healthy and Fit)

Ingredients:

1 3/4 c. whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 c. olive oil
1/2 c. honey
2 eggs
2 mashed bananas
1/4 c. hot water
1 c. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 12-cup muffin tin.

In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, mix olive oil and honey. Add eggs and mix, then bananas. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet, alternating with the hot water. Fold in chocolate chips.

Bake 17-20 minutes. Yields 12 muffins.