Banana & Sultana Muffins

Banana & Sultana Muffins

  • Serves: 12 Lge
  • Prep Time: 00:10
  • Cooking Time: 00:30
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My Banana & Sultana Muffins are full of protein and fruit, plus I've got all your macronutrients covered in this healthy snack. If sultanas aren't your favourite addition, I also tested this recipe with diced dates and chocolate chips too. All substitutions worked well. These banana muffins are the perfect breakfast for your kids to sustain them through a morning of learning at school. I've added quinoa flakes to this recipe. Quinoa flakes are essentially just pressed quinoa, and each little quinoa seed is rolled flat to make a flake. Quinoa is a complete protein, which means they contain all the essential amino acids and they are full of good fibre. My muffins are so convenient to make ahead and freeze to save time on busy days.

Ingredients

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  • 150g vanilla or natural coconut yoghurt, or your favourite dairy-free yoghurt
  • 3 med ripe banana(s), broken into pieces
  • 2 Lge egg(s)
  • 60g (1/4 cup) coconut oil, melted and cooled to room temp
  • 1/4 cup honey (unprocessed), if you prefer maple syrup use 1/3 cup
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract (organic)
  • 1 3/4 cups almond meal/flour, from blanched almonds
  • 1 cup quinoa flakes (organic)
  • 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp baking soda (bicarb)
  • A generous pinch of fine sea salt
  • 3/4 cup sultanas (organic), or diced dates
  • Optional: Add thinly sliced banana(s), to decorate muffins

Directions

Preheat oven to 170c (fan-forced) and add paper muffin liners into a large 12-hole muffin tin.

Add the yoghurt, banana pieces, eggs, coconut oil, honey and vanilla to the bowl of a food processor. Blend for 12 seconds or until you have a smooth consistency.

Add the almond meal, quinoa flakes, cinnamon, baking soda and salt to the wet ingredients and blend for 10 - 12 seconds to combine, leaving some quinoa flakes visible.

Remove the blade and stir through the sultanas or diced dates.

Each muffin takes approximately two heaped large dessert spoons of the mixture. I use one spoon to scoop up the muffin mixture and another to scrape it off into the prepared muffin tin. Smooth the surface with the back of the spoon.

Optional: Place thinly sliced extra banana on top.

Bake for approximately 30 minutes. The muffins should have started to become a little golden around the edges and spring back in the middle (don't overcook, these muffins should be lovely and moist).

Allow the muffins to cool in the tin for 10 - 15 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.

Serve warm or at room temperature. Store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 1 week and suitable to freeze for up to 6 months.

coconut yoghurt

You will be able to find a recipe for cultured coconut yoghurt online using grass fed gelatin or tapioca starch for thickening. If purchasing a commercial yoghurt, read labels as many use vegetable gums and additives. Coconut yoghurt can be made in a yoghurt maker or a Thermomix machine. If you can tolerate some dairy natural organic Greek yoghurt can be used in it's place.

banana(s)

In a paleo diet it's best to eat bananas in moderation. They are excellent to use to naturally sweeten a recipe and then you can reduce or eliminate other sweeteners. Bananas are a very good source of vitamin B6, manganese, vitamin C, potassium, dietary fiber potassium, copper, so you can see they are healthy but I find it's best just no in large qualities due to their high natural sugars.

egg(s)

I have used large free range or organic eggs from a 700g carton in my recipes. Eggs are one of the few foods considered to be a complete protein because they contain all 9 essential amino acids, also studies have shown that lutein (yellow colour) in egg yolks protects against the progress of early heart disease.

coconut oil

Coconut oil is one of the most nutritious fats to cook and bake with. Use organic extra-virgin coconut oil which is unrefined and unbleached from non GMO coconuts. Coconut oil has a high smoking point and it is slow to oxidize due to its high saturated fat content, thus, resistant to going rancid. Some studies suggest coconut oil helps with digestion, including irritable bowel, tummy bugs, candida and parasites due to this oil containing short term medium-chain saturated fatty acids (MCFAs), which is a healthy form of saturated fat.

honey (unprocessed)

Use unrefined or raw honey. It is the most common natural sweetener in my recipes. It's best to buy local unprocessed honey as it has wonderful health benefits and can help with allergies. Generally honey sold in supermarkets has been processed. Honey possesses antiseptic and antibacterial properties.

vanilla extract (organic)

Use an organic vanilla extract (not an essence) or vanilla powder. Vanilla makes a big difference to the flavour of a recipe, I recommend keeping to the quantities I have stated in a recipe. I prefer Madagascar pure vanilla extract manufactured by ‘Simply Organic’ and for powder, Vanillamax 100% pure, finely ground Madagascar vanilla beans produced by Bulletproof.

almond meal/flour

The most favoured gluten/grain free flour substitute in my kitchen is almond meal. It is finely ground blanched almonds and is also known as almond flour. It has a slightly sweet flavour so you don’t have to add as much sweetener when baking with it. Almond meal/flour is rich in manganese which helps the body heal after injuries and also helps the body break down carbohydrates. Almond flour is also rich in magnesium, which can help control your blood sugar levels. It's rich in vitamin E and other antioxidants, which may help reduce the risk of serious health conditions like cancer, diabetes, stroke, and heart disease. Almonds are also a good source of calcium.

All kinds of nuts can be ground down to make a meal and are excellent for raw cheesecake or pie bases. Nut meals/flours are best stored in airtight containers in the fridge or freezer to prevent them going rancid.

quinoa flakes (organic)

Quinoa flakes are essentially just pressed quinoa, each little quinoa seed is rolled flat to make a flake. Quinoa flakes are an excellent replacement for rolled oats which are a grain and high in phytic acid. Quinoa flakes are a complete protein, which means they contain all the essential amino acids and they are full of good fibre. They are very quick to cook as they are small and thin flakes and make great gluten-free porridge.

cinnamon

I am sure you will notice as you read my recipes that cinnamon appears quite frequently. It lends itself to savoury and sweet dishes. I have used ground cinnamon in my recipes if not stated otherwise. The best cinnamon to use is Ceylon (Verum). It has huge health benefits in regulating blood sugar levels. Cinnamon has antifungal properties and candida (yeast overgrowth) cannot live in a cinnamon environment. Added to food it inhibits bacterial growth, making it a natural food preservative and these are just a few of the benefits.

baking soda (bicarb)

Also known as Bicarbonate of Soda or Sodium Bicarbonate and is used as a rising agent in baking, it contains no gluten or grains. I use Bob's Red Mill baking soda as I find it rises better than other brands I've tried.

sea salt

Organic unbleached, unrefined organic Celtic sea salt or pink Himalayan salt is my salt of choice as these contain healthy minerals and trace elements that our body needs. Regular table salt has been bleached, refined and processed leaving minimal health benefits. If you choose to use regular table salt in my recipes you will need to reduce the quantity or the end result will be to salty.

sultanas (organic)

The sultana is a pale green oval seedless grape which has been dried. Sultanas are sweet and used in baking and eaten as a snack. Purchase naturally dried, preservative and oil free sultanas, organic is best.

banana(s)

In a paleo diet it's best to eat bananas in moderation. They are excellent to use to naturally sweeten a recipe and then you can reduce or eliminate other sweeteners. Bananas are a very good source of vitamin B6, manganese, vitamin C, potassium, dietary fiber potassium, copper, so you can see they are healthy but I find it's best just no in large qualities due to their high natural sugars.