Apple Banana Cinnamon Ginger Love Muffins
February is Valentine’s Day month, so I just had to include the word ‘love’ in the name! And with all the healthy nutrients in these yummy muffins, your body will indeed love these!
Eve tempted Adam with an apple from the tree of knowledge of good and evil and we all know what happened after that! Some scholars have written that the forbidden fruit may have been a grape or a fig. Factoid - did you know that the term ‘Adam’s Apple’ originates from the idea that the bite Adam took of the forbidden fruit apple supposedly became stuck in Adam’s throat? I had to look that up when I came to learn this – there are so many references! Had you heard this before?
Luckily this muffin isn’t forbidden and makes a wonderfully soft, delicious healthy breakfast or a tasty snack. These are gluten-free, dairy-free, delicately naturally sweetened with maple syrup and the fruit and are so delicious that you will love them – hence their name!
The 2 bananas lend a subtle flavour but not an overwhelming flavour like in my Tamarack Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins. Bananas are fat-free, rich in fiber, VitC, VitB6 (metabolizes fats and carbs and turns them into energy your body uses and cleanses the liver and kidneys) and manganese. Bananas are a great source of potassium which is one of the most important minerals for the body, helping to regulate muscle control, fluid balance, and nerve signalling, which in turn helps to regulate high blood pressure and risk of stroke.
Apples are antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory food, and like bananas, are also a good source of fiber and VitC and they contain polyphenols which are linked to lowering blood pressure and risk of stroke.
These muffins have oat flour, almond flour and whole oats instead of all-purpose flour. Oats have so many nutritious health benefits! Eat them often! Read about them here.
Prep time: 10 Minutes / Cook Time: 20-25 Minutes / Number of Servings: 12 muffins
Ingredients:
¾ cup Oat Flour*
¾ cup Almond Flour
½ cup Rolled Oats (I use large flake)
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1½ teaspoons Cinnamon
½ teaspoon Ground Ginger
¼ cup Coconut Oil – melted
2 Ripe Bananas
1 Egg
½ cup Maple Syrup
2 medium Apples – 1½ diced and the other ½ sliced for garnish
¼ cup Sliced Almonds – for garnish
How It’s Made:
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
Prepare your muffin tin with paper or silicone muffin liners.
Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl - oat flour, almond flour, rolled oats, baking powder, cinnamon and ginger. Whisk until mixed well.
Melt the coconut oil on the stovetop or in the microwave.
In a medium bowl, mash the bananas. Add the melted coconut oil, egg and maple syrup and whisk until smooth.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk just until the mixture is smooth. You don’t want to ever overwork muffin batter.
Fold in the diced apples. Keep the sliced apple for the garnish.
Spoon the batter into the muffin liners – you should have enough for 12, filling the muffin cups ¾ full.
Place a slice of apple on top of each muffin and sprinkle with the sliced almonds if you are including them for garnish.
Bake for 20 -25 minutes – check after 20 minutes, insert a sharp knife into the largest one. A little bit of crumb on the knife is ok, just not goopy batter. If they aren’t quite done, bake for 5 more minutes and check again.
After the first day, store these muffins in the fridge to keep them fresh and firm.
Enjoy!
*To make Oat Flour – put rolled oats into your food processor and grind to a fine powder.
Variations:
If you want this nut-free, omit the almond flour and use 1½ cup oat flour.
If nuts are not an issue, add 2 heaping tablespoons of natural peanut butter or almond butter to the wet ingredients. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts instead of or in addition to the sliced almonds as garnish.
