Let’s get this out of the way right off the bat. Yes, that IS a big bite taken from the side of the banana muffin that you’re looking at. It’s actually two bites, maybe even three, because if you’re like me, you’re not going to stop at just one taste of a delicious banana muffin before you photograph it. It’s research, right?

I filched this recipe from WeightWatchers.com after my attempts to cut down in the baked goods resulted in these and these. Now, I figure, if I’m going to bake I might as well make better-for-you options that I can wrap individually and freeze for weekday breakfasts and not, you know, eat a dozen cookies in a sitting waste food.

Banana Muffins with Tart Lemon Icing

Ingredients:

Batter

1/2 cup(s) sugar
5 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg(s)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup(s) fat-free skim milk
4 large banana(s), ripe, mashed

Icing

1 cup(s) powdered sugar
1 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest, strips, or more to taste
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line 18 muffin holes with paper liners.

2. Place sugar and butter in a large bowl; cream with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat until thoroughly mixed.

3. In another large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add half of flour mixture to butter mixture; beat well with mixer. Add milk and remaining flour mixture; beat until batter is combined and then fold in mashed bananas.

4. Spoon batter into muffin liners about 3/4 full. Bake until muffins start to brown and a tester inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes. Allow muffins to cool in pan for about 2 minutes; remove to a wire rack and cool completely before icing.

5. Meanwhile, combine icing ingredients in a medium bowl; beat with an electric mixer until creamy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Ice cooled muffins; cover and refrigerate any uneaten muffins. Yields 1 muffin per serving.

Photo Credit: WeightWatchers.com