Baking Banana Nut Med Muffins

Next time you have overripe bananas laying around, don’t throw them out – make these nutritious, nutty muffins instead!

Most muffins are just a step away from cake with lots of added sugar and unhealthy fat. Our banana nut med muffins, however, utilize ripe bananas for natural sweetness and nuts for heart-healthy fats. Great for a breakfast-on-the-go or a mid-afternoon sweet treat, these muffins will deliver a delicious dose of energy any time of day.

No one likes soggy muffin bottoms. Avoid overly-moist muffins by adding a few grains of rice to the tins before inserting the liners.

Since these muffins don’t call for any sugar, make sure your bananas are overripe. Think almost black and squishy. When a banana is overripe, the starches within the fruit have started to break down and become simple sugars – in short, they’re sweeter.

Watch and learn as NC State Extension nutrition expert, Catherine Hill, RDN, LDN, walks us through the simple steps to bake banana nut med muffins!

Tip #1: Rapid Ripening

No overripe bananas around? No worries. Place your bananas into a brown paper bag with an apple. Fold the top over to seal the bag. Both fruits give off a natural gas called ethylene, which helps to ripen the fruit quickly. Wait 1-2 days and your bananas will be ready to go.

Tip #2: Soggy Bottoms Be Gone

To prevent muffin tin paper liners from becoming soggy, add a small amount of regular (not instant) rice into the muffin tins before inserting the paper liners. Make sure the rice evenly coats the bottom of the muffin tin. The rice acts like a sponge, soaking up excess moisture during the cooking process.

Recipe

Banana Nut Med Muffins

Yield: 12 servings Time: 35 min.

Ingredients

• 2 overripe bananas
• 1 ½ cup chopped apples
• 1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans or almonds)
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup old fashioned oats (not quick cooking)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon (you can use Chinese 5 spice for a different flavor)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

1.  Preheat the oven to 400° degrees.
2. Line 12 muffin tins with an even layer of rice. Then line with muffin papers and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
3. Mash bananas with a fork in a medium bowl.
4. Add apples, nuts and eggs to the bananas; mix well.
5. In another bowl, mix dry ingredients.
6. Add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture and mix until just combined.
7. Spoon the muffin mixture into muffin cups.
8. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the internal temperature of the muffin is 165° degrees.
9. Remove the muffins from the muffin tin and place on a wire rack for cooling.
10. Once cool, store in the refrigerator for 4-7 days.
    1. Batch cooking: Once muffins have cooled, individually wrap each muffin in plastic wrap and place into a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
    2. For serving: Place muffin in the refrigerator overnight or remove plastic wrap and microwave for a few seconds.

Alterations

1. Not in the mood for walnuts? Feel free to substitute any nut or seed that you like. Some other options include: slivered almonds, chopped pecans, chopped pistachios, sunflower seeds, or pumpkin seeds.
2. Don’t care for nuts? Try one of the seeds above or replace the nuts with dried fruit, such as raisins, or dark chocolate morsels for a sweet treat.