Happy Birthday to me!
Actually, my birthday is Sunday, but I’m posting today so I can fully relax and enjoy my day! I’ve been celebrating all week with these Blueberry Banana Chia Streusel Muffins. This recipe made 18 muffins and no lie I’ve definitely eaten three in one day. Hey! It’s my birthday birthweek!
Side note: For those of you visiting over from The Lean Green Bean, thank you for stopping by! Be sure to check out my healthy recipes, motivation strategies, meditation tips, and things that make me happy. I’d love to be friends!
So usually, birthdays for me means I get to have a margarita. And/or beer. And wine. And some sort of chocolate-y dessert. But this year due to my doctor putting me on a strict anti-reflux diet for two months (you can read about that here) my favorite birthday-type foods aren’t an option– no alcohol, chocolate, citrus or carbonation! What?! How could I possibly celebrate turning 24?
I have been seriously loading up on fruits lately as it seems it’s the only tasty thing allowed on my plan. Tons of strawberries, raspberries, watermelon, blueberries and bananas. I made these muffins because everything in the ingredient list is allowed on my plan! I even substituted applesauce for half of the butter to make it lower in fat.
Chia seeds are mixed into the streusel topping and they really added a nice crunch!
These tasty muffins make a good breakfast, snack, or dessert! Here’s the recipe!

- 1/4 c. butter, softened
- 1/4 c unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 1/2 c. (3 lg.) mashed very ripe bananas
- 1/4 c. milk
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 2 c. all purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 c. fresh blueberries
- 3 tbsp. all purpose flour
- 2 tbsp. firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
- Line a muffin tin with 18 baking cups.
- In large bowl beat butter, applesauce and brown sugar until fluffy.
- Add bananas, milk, vanilla and eggs; mix well.
- Add 2 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Gently stir in blueberries. Divide between 18 muffin cups.
- In small bowl combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and chia seeds.
- Using a fork, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly.
- Sprinkle over batter.
- Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
What are your favorite birthday foods?
Hi! I’m Emily, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and self-taught intuitive chef. I firmly believe that cooking is the simplest and most important step we can take to improve our minds and bodies and build healthier communities. Join me and let’s bring food back to the kitchen!
It is so good to meet you! I found you from Lindsay, and I am also a Texas girl, so I love to find other people who have a passion for healthy living like me! I look forward to reading more!
Glad to meet another Texan! Thanks for stopping by :-)
Happy birthday Emily!!! These muffins look fantastic, and although I was very slightly disappointed that the cinnamon topping wasn’t cocoa powder ( ;) ) I love the crunchy chia seed idea! Genius!
Thanks!! :-) believe you me, if I could have chocolate it would be slathered all over these babies haha!
Hi Emily! First of all, happy birthday! I hope you have a wonderful day filled with fun, family and friends.. And lots of celebration!
I found you via The Lean Green Bean and I cannot WAIT to see more of your posts! :) xx
Thanks for stopping by girl!
These look amazing! I also have reflux issues, so I can completely sympathize with the restrictions! (The coffee and chocolate are the worst, I think…but basically when it’s acting up, I’m supposed to avoid pretty much every food I like…)
I’ve been battling GERD for years and with the help of meds it is much more under control than it used to be – but it’s still a process. I have actually found, though, that reducing stress levels helps IMMENSELY. It also makes good intuitive sense. But I found corroboration here…https://watchfit.com/general-health/one-biggest-causes-of-stress-acidity/