There are two things my toddler and I have in common: we both love bananas, and we’re always hungry.

While I’ve been known to be a human garbage disposal, especially after hard runs, my daughter has a dairy and peanut allergy that makes finding healthy snacks a bit more challenging.

Banana muffins to the rescue. Dairy-free and sugar-free that is!

Shortly after my daughter turned one, I started making muffins to add variety to her snack rotation. I wanted something that included whole grains but avoided potential allergens (that would cause eczema flair-ups). My recipe was hatched after researching numerous smash cake recipes for her first birthday. I took what I liked from three or four different recipes, cobbled them together and put my own twist on it. One successful smash cake and dozens upon dozens of muffins later, we have a go-to snack that our whole family enjoys. It has no dairy, no sugar, no eggs and no disappointment!

Better yet, making them is something fun I do with my daughter … and she is secretly helping her hungry running mama with my 3 p.m. snack dilemma in the process.

I recently posted a photo of our weekly batch of muffins on my Instagram stories. Many of you reached out asking for the recipe. If you’re looking for a snack to satisfy your little ones as well as your own cravings, this is the perfect dairy-free, sugar-free answer! While they certainly don’t taste like banana bread loaded with sugar and oil, we really enjoy them. Even Mr. rUnladylike approves!

Ingredients

• 3 very ripe bananas (they are perfect when the peels start to brown or blacken)
• 1/2 cup organic, unsweetened applesauce (check the ingredients to make sure there are only apples and water)
• 3 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon of oil of your choice (coconut oil, avocado oil and olive oil all work)
• 3/4 cup of whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup of oats (you can keep them whole or grind them in a food processor depending on the desired consistency of your muffins)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Directions

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
• In a medium-sized mixing bowl, peel and mash the bananas with a fork. If your kids are little, it is fun to have them help you peel each banana and mash them.
• Add the rest of the wet ingredients, including the applesauce, vanilla and oil. Stir to combine.
• Add the remaining dry ingredients. Stir until the mixture is wet and evenly combined. Encouraging your kids to pour each ingredient into the bowl and help you stir is a great way to involve them.
• Spoon the batter evenly into 12 muffin cups (use liners or oil the tin). Baby rUnladylike helps me by putting the muffin liners into each cup.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Let cool and enjoy!
• Store muffins in the refrigerator for up to a week.