Sometimes, you just need a break from life. And by “life,” I mean blogging. 😉
I took a little time-off from writing and posting, but not from… baking! In fact, I made these muffins several times over the holidays, attempting to come up with a vegan, gluten free muffin recipe.
Up until now, every time I tested out an egg-free, sugar-free, gluten-free muffin recipe it turned out like bread pudding. No shade to bread pudding or anything… yes, it’s a great dessert, but it’s not exactly what you want to bite into when you’re expecting a fluffy, cake-y little muffin.
This recipe came together after a friend brought an incredible banana bread loaf on vacation. I begged her for her recipe which consisted of; flour, salt, baking soda, ground flaxseed, oil, eggs, sugar, vanilla and bananas.
I made my swaps; tigernut flour and gluten-free flour for the “flour,” a flax “egg” which is made from ground flaxseed and water, and grade-b maple syrup for the “sugar.”
I started by mashing up 3 very ripe bananas. (When your bananas start getting dark spots, don’t throw them away! That’s when they’re prime for baking!)
I then added in the syrup, vanilla, coconut oil and a flax egg. A flax egg may sound intimidating, but all it is, is one tablespoon of ground flaxseed and some warm water.
When a recipe calls for an egg, mainly all you’re needing is the consistency, there’s no real flavor from an egg. A flax egg gives you the perfect consistency, plus it’s loaded with fiber and omega-3’s. It’s an easy way to slip in some extra nutrients into a dish, especially if your kids are eating it (which these muffins are definitely tailored to kids).
I then added in my flour, both types, and additional ground flaxseed. This is a step I figured out after a few attempts. The ground flaxseed gives it a little more texture, plus additional nutrients. Can’t beat that!
This is also where you’ll stir in your “add-ins,” like walnuts, or I used vegan chocolate chips.
Last step, fill your muffin pan. I made mini-muffins out of these. I also added a few chopped walnuts to the tops of a *few* of the muffins (optional) and then popped them in the oven.
The result… a sweet, moist muffin full of flavor and packed with nutrition. The texture is cake-like, just the way a muffin is supposed to be.
You can even make it into a loaf of bread. I made one muffin tin and two small loaves out of this batch. The bread will need to cook a little longer, but the texture and flavor mirrors that of the muffins.
A muffin that is delicious, sweet AND insanely healthy?! You bet your muffin-top. Try it for yourself!
Chocolate Chip Banana Muffin Ingredients:
1/2 c. Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Flour
1/2 c. tigernut flour
1/4 c. ground flaxseed
1 tsp baking soda
1/8th tsp pink himalayan salt
1 flax egg (1 Tbsp ground flax + 3 Tbsp. warm water)
3 ripe bananas
1/3 c. coconut oil
1/4 c. grade-b maple syrup
1 tsp non alcohol vanilla
Add ins: 1/4 c. chocolate chips (vegan carob, or regular chips)
1/4 c. chopped walnuts (to top muffins with, optional)
Directions:
- First, mix together your ‘wet’ ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl, mash three bananas using a potato masher (a large fork will work too), mash mixture until smooth or until little to no lumps exist.
- Make flax-egg. In a small bowl place 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons of warm water, stir together, set aside so mixture can firm up.
- Add melted coconut oil, syrup and vanilla to the mashed bananas. When flax egg has the consistency of an egg (takes about 5 minutes) add flax egg to mixture and stir.
- Begin to add in your ‘dry’ ingredients starting with your baking soda. Sprinkle baking soda evenly over ‘wet’ ingredients and then sprinkle in some sea salt, mix together.
- Add in your flour and ground flaxseed, stir.
- Lastly, add in your chocolate chips and stir. If you want to add walnuts, you can either add it to the mixture now, or crumble on top of the muffin right before cooking, or omit it all together.
- Grab a muffin tin (regular size or mini-muffin tin) and lightly grease it with coconut oil.
- Use a spoon to fill muffin tins three quarters full.
- Place pan in 350 degree oven, cook 12-15 minutes.
~Yields 24 mini muffins
NOTES:
*You can use a regular egg if you do not want to use a flax egg. Muffins still turn out really well and moist. Dish will become “vegetarian,” no longer “vegan.” You will also need to use 1/2 cup ground flaxseed instead of 1/4 c.
*You can also use regular flour, wheat flour, all gluten free flour or all tigernut flour just 1 cup total. Almond flour and coconut flour are heavy. If you want to use them I would use 1/2 cup of either then 1/2 cup of a lighter flour.
*If you choose a regular size muffin tin, muffins will need longer to cook, 20-25 minutes, or until edges are golden brown and insides are cooked through.
*If you choose a bread pan, loaves will take longer to cook as well, 20-25 minutes.
*For more chocolaty muffins use 1/2 cup of chocolate chips.
