Lunchbox Friendly Banana Muffins
Muffins are a staple in my house. Especially banana muffins - my kids love them! I always keep a batch in my freezer for a quick on the go breakfast or easy snack. I created this recipe out of necessity. We have a lot of food intolerances in my house. Between my 3 kids, gluten, dairy and eggs are out. Additionally, I wanted to make something I could send in their lunchboxes, so they also had to be nut-free. I could not find a muffin recipe that checked all of these boxes and lived up to my nutrition standards. So I threw on my apron, and got to testing. The result are these, delicious lightly sweet muffins with the perfect moist but crumbly texture and big banana flavor. (Note - tahini which is included in this recipe is made from sesame which can be an allergen for some.)
Prep Time – 10 minutes
Cook Time – 20 minutes
Servings – Makes 12 muffins
Ingredients
· 3 ripe bananas, mashed
· 2 chia eggs (2 tbsp ground chia seeds + 6 tbsp water)
· 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
· 2 tbsp creamy tahini
· 1 tsp vanilla extract
· 1 cup GF oat flour
· 1/2 cup buckwheat flour
· 1/3 cup coconut sugar
· 1 tsp baking soda
· 1/4 tsp baking powder
· 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
· 1/4 tsp sea salt
· 1/3 cup dairy free dark chocolate chips (optional)
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. In a large bowl prepare flax eggs by mixing flaxseed meal with water. Set aside for 5 minutes to gel while you gather remaining ingredients.
3. Add mashed bananas, melted coconut oil, tahini and vanilla to bowl with flax eggs and mix to combine.
4. Add dry ingredients to bowl and mix well. Fold in chocolate chips (optional).
5. Divide batter into 12 parchment lined baking cups and bake @ 350 degrees F for 20 minutes.
6. Remove muffins from oven and allow to cool before removing from pan.
7. Store extras in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze.