These muffins are wholesome, low in sugar, and a nice treat for morning or afternoon. They are also easily adapted to a vegan or gluten-free diet. During long-tern retreats at Spirit Rock, we occasionally offer these to warm practitioners up on cool mornings. They are easy to mix up and they freeze well – you can freeze a batch and thaw a few at a time.
Ingredients
- 2 cups very ripe bananas*
- ½ cup sugar (or 1/3 cup honey or agave)
- ¼ cup melted butter (or oil or melted vegan butter)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or gluten free flour of choice**)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup chopped dried fruit of choice (we like apricots & dates)
- ½ cup toasted, chopped nuts of choice (we like pecans & walnuts)
- ¼ cup chocolate chips (optional, but decadent!) *If you are using thawed, frozen bananas, increase the flour by 2 tablespoons. **If you are using gluten-free flour, increase the baking powder by ¼ teaspoon.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place paper liners in two 12-piece muffin pans.
Prepare the nuts and dried fruit and combine in one bowl.
In a separate large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork.
Add the sugar, butter or oil, lemon juice, vanilla and salt to the bananas.
In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and baking powder.
Add the flour mixture to the banana mixture and combine well using a spatula or whisk.
Fold in the fruit and nut mix.
Use an ice cream scoop or a big spoon to transfer the batter to the prepared pans. Leave the tops craggy, which will give them a pleasant texture.
Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until the tops are firm to the touch or an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Bow and offer the muffins to your guests, or allow to cool completely and freeze in plastic bags or containers (they will keep for several months).