1 1/2cupswhite whole wheat flour(all-purpose, whole wheat pastry flour or unbleached flour also work)
1tspcinnamon
1 1/2tspbaking powder
1/2tspbaking soda
1/2tspsalt
2-3cupsspinach, packed
3/4cupmilk,regular whole milk or a plain plant-based milk
1/2 cupapplesauce or Happy Family Organics baby food pouch(see notes)
1/4cupcoconut oil,melted
1ripe banana
1large egg
1tspvanilla extract
Grinch Hearts
1/2cup raspberries
3 tbspcream cheese
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Instructions
Prep: Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a mini muffin tray with liners or grease.
Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
Wet Ingredients: In a blender, add in the spinach, milk, applesauce or baby food puree, coconut oil, banana, egg and vanilla extract and blend on medium speed for 1 minute or until all of the spinach is completely broken down, scraping sides of the blender as needed.
Combine: Pour the wet ingredients into the medium bowl of dry ingredients and gently mix together until just combined, do not over mix.
Bake: Fill the muffin molds 3/4 way full, and bake for 12-15 minutes or until they are just golden brown. Let cool completely on a wire baking rack.
Prep Frosting: To add the Grinch Hearts - spoon the cream cheese into a piping bag or a small zip lock baggie (that is what i used above). Use a rubber band to secure the top of the baggie and then cut the very corner of the baggie off to create a hole for the cream cheese to come out of.
Prep "Hearts": On a cutting board, gently cut the raspberries in half lengthwise. Then place one half of the raspberry on the cutting board, outside-facing down, and cut a small V into the top of the raspberry to make a heart shape. Place the cut side of the raspberry onto a paper towel or kitchen towel to soak up any moisture.
Decorate: With the piping bag, on the top of the muffin make a quarter size circle of cream cheese. Then add one raspberry heart on top. Repeat until all of the muffins are decorated.
Notes
Age: for baby-led weaning 6 months and up (remove the raspberry before serving) or babies 9 months and up. Applesauce or Baby Food Pouch: you can use either plain applesauce or for more fun flavor you can use 1/2 cup of Happy Family Organics Apple, Kale & Avocado or Spinach, Apples & Kale baby food pouch. Storage: I recommend storing the decorated muffins in an air-tighter container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Non-decorated muffins can be stored on the counter in a slightly open container for 3 days. Freezer-Friendly: you can freeze any non-decorated muffins for up to 3 months. Regular Size Muffins: this recipe would work great for normal size muffins as well. Fill regular size muffin molds 3/4 the way full and bake for 20-22 minutes. Making the Muffins Gluten-Free: You can easily makes these mini muffins gluten-free by using a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend.