Preheat oven to 400˚F with rack just below the middle of the oven. Grease muffin tins or use pan release.
In a large bowl, mix banana, yogurt, maple syrup, oil, and eggs until well combined.
Stir in cinnamon, baking soda, vanilla, and salt.
Toss ½ cup chocolate chips, and nuts if using, with flour and fold into banana mixture. Mix until just combined.
Divide batter evenly between 18-20 muffin tins.
Top muffins with remaining chocolate chips.
Pop muffins into the oven and reduce the temperature to 375˚F. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Notes
Nutrition information does not include optional ingredients.
Do not over-mix muffin batter.
Why the temperature change in the recipe? Adding muffins to a very hot oven, then dropping the temperature allows the muffins to rise quickly at the beginning, then bake through without burning.
Cover muffins loosely with foil if they begin to brown too much.