Those bananas are not dead nor candidates for the trash, even if they don't want to be eaten. They are the makings of glorious, nutritious, eat-out-of-hand breakfast muffins. With white whole-wheat flour, oatmeal, and raisin bran, the muffins are packed with vitamins and fiber. Because they really are muffins, not cupcakes, the sugar content is kept in check. Sweet spices and maple extract make the muffins seem sweeter than they are, and the bananas contribute their natural sweetness as well as moisture. Walnuts add a pleasant crunch and slight bitterness for contrast. In addition to being far more nutritious and helping you use up four bananas, the muffins are far less expensive to make than to buy at the coffee shop. So, if you have some suspect bananas hiding on your counter, make the muffins and take some to work with you. You'll be less hungry, and, if you share, your coworkers will be a lot friendlier.
Not Malingering Banana Muffins -- Makes 18
1 1/2 cups of white whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup of oats (quick cooking is fine)
1/2 cup of raisin bran
1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
1/3 cup of sugar
1/3 cup of dark brown sugar
1/3 cup of canola oil
2/3 cup of milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon of maple extract or flavoring
4 bananas, 2 mashed well and 2 chopped into little bits
1 1/2 cups of chopped or browken walnuts, divided
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line muffin tins with cupcake liners. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, oatmeal, raisin bran, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In another bowl, whisk together well the sugars, oil, milk, eggs, and maple flavoring. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until barely moistened. Stir in 1/2 cup of the chopped walnuts. Divide the batter among the muffin cups and sprinkle the tops of the muffins with the remaining walnuts. Bake the muffins for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in a muffin comes out clean. The muffins are great warm from the oven but seem to improve in flavor the next day.
