Spiced Fruit & Nut Muffins

Aromatic and sweet – a delicious little treat

Prep & Cooking: 40 minutes
Makes: 12 muffins

Main Ingredients:
1 ½ cup whole wheat flour – substitute a gluten free blend if needed
3 ripe bananas mashed
¼ cup vegetable or liquid coconut oil
¼ cup coconut sugar
*if you don’t have all of the spices listed below then use any variation of what is suggested, or feel free to use a pre-blended spice mix equalling approximately 3 tbsp
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp ground ginger
½ tbsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground cloves
2 tsp vanilla
Pinch of salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
3 tbsp molasses
1⁄3 cup chopped raisins or dates
1⁄3 cup chopped walnuts – pecans would be a good substitute, if needed
¼ cup quick oats
¼ cup shelled hemp seeds (optional)

Method:
Pre-heat oven to 350°F and prepare a muffin tin.

Banana Tip: I use frozen bananas. Freezing ripe bananas is a great way to avoid waste and to have a stash of fruit ready for baking. I remove the banana stem prior to thawing, this creates a nice little opening for the ripe and often very soft fruit to travel through. I then place the bananas, peel on, flat on a plate and microwave them for 1-2 minutes; usually checking every 30 seconds after the first minute. By removing the stem prior to thawing, you will also avoid any bits of burnt banana peel (not a pleasant smell). When the bananas are thawed they can be easily squeezed from their peel right into your mixing bowl. If you have high-powered microwave you may wish to use a low or medium power setting or use the defrost feature instead; this may add a few minutes.

In a large bowl, combine oil, sugar, molasses, vanilla, and bananas. Stir to combine and use the back of your mixing spoon to break up the bananas until the mixture is smooth with few to no lumps. If your bananas are still firm, you may wish to use a fork or a whisk to mash them.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, spices, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. After the dry ingredients are mixed, add them to the wet ingredients and stir to combine. Add nuts, fruit, and hemp seeds to the batter and gently fold the batter until incorporated.

Fill each of your prepared muffin cups ¾ of the way full and top with additional shelled hemp seeds if desired. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove muffins from the oven and test for doneness using a toothpick. When the toothpick comes out clean, the muffins are done.

Allow to cool and store in an airtight container for up to one week.