Ever since I posted these Chocolate Banana Walnut muffins on my instagram back in October, I have received tons of messages and threats in person (it’s true!) for the recipe. Apparently I wanted to give you two months of suspenseful waiting before I posted it! 😉
These muffins are gluten-free, dairy-free, refined-sugar-free, moist, delicious and usually gone by the next day.
You may be surprised at the speed at which these muffins disappear. I certainly was the first few times I made them. Out of all of the foods in the world, I think these muffins are my comfort food. I have loved banana bread ever since I was a little kid and the thought of banana bread/muffins is so exciting that I allow myself to have it for breakfast, lunch and dinner (just kidding!)
I definitely go through a batch pretty quickly. And, that’s not because of my own love of banana bread/muffins. As it turns out, Jonathan used to make his “world famous banana bread” for a Queen West cafe years ago. He even used a large industrial bread pan to make big batches of it. The customers couldn’t get enough of it and he certainly couldn’t make it quick enough! Not too long after his west-end gig, Jonathan and I met. I knew it was true love when our first few conversations involved talking about our love of banana bread. Now, we live in banana bread bliss. The end.
Ok, ok, ok, we’ll get to the recipe. But first, let’s talk about why these muffins are good for you and are better than store-bought mixes or pre-made breads.
1. Grocery store banana breads contain preservatives and additives that take away from the benefits of banana bread. No bread should last a month on a shelf. If it does, there is a serious chemical cocktail or some strange wizardry going on. Don’t be fooled by cafe muffins either. Some use chemically preserved “banana purée” instead of whole, fresh bananas. Fresh, organic food is always the better option for your health and taste! Don’t be shy to ask where your local cafe gets their ingredients from.
2. This recipe contains 5 whole bananas! Bananas have amazing benefits for your health. Bananas contain prebiotic fibre that is excellent for your gut health! Prebiotics feed gut bacteria so that they can thrive (whereas probiotics add beneficial bacteria to what you already have). This promotes a strong immune system and healthy digestive tract.
3. Bananas are high in potassium which is important for blood pressure regulation, kidney function, muscles, and nerves.
4. Bananas are high in phytosterols, which are fatty acids from plants. These are important immune system modulators, which means they help maintain a healthy immune system.
5. This recipe uses oat flour instead of the usual white, refined flour that most other generic recipes use. White flour is stripped of its nutrients and provides “empty calories”, meaning there is little to no benefit of eating it because it causes more harm than good. It also spikes blood sugar because of the lack of fibre. Oat flour provides fibre, protein, B vitamins, vitamin E, iron, and more.
6. Coconut sugar and bananas are the main sweeteners in this recipe, instead of the usual white sugar in other recipes. Coconut sugar is low on the glycemic index, which refers to how much it raises your blood sugar. Plus, pairing it with the high fibre in this recipe helps to maintain your blood sugar, as well. The addition of cinnamon also helps with blood sugar regulation as it improves insulin’s ability to balance your blood sugar. Win!
These muffins are great for on-the-go breakfast or as a snack with almond butter. I hope you love them as much as I do! Be sure to share your renditions by tagging me @megan_rhn on Instagram!
Chocolate Banana Walnut Muffins
Makes 12 muffins or 1 loaf of bread
5 overripe bananas
1.5 cups oat flour
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1 tsp xanthum gum
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
1 tsp cinnamon
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup Enjoy Life Foods dairy-free chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, mash bananas. Add coconut sugar, eggs, vanilla and melted coconut oil.
3. In a separate large bowl, mix oat flour, xanthum gum, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon.
4. Slowly mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients until incorporated.
5. Add chocolate chips and walnuts, reserving some to top muffins/bread.
6. Spoon batter into coconut oil-greased or lined muffin tray. Top with reserved walnuts and chocolate chips. For muffins, bake for 30 minutes. For bread, bake for 50-60 minutes. Let cool on rack before eating.
Note: These can easily be stored in the freezer. Should be consumed within 3-4 days for ideal freshness.
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