I recently gave up sweets for Lent this year (meaning I gave up all cookies, cake, ice cream, smoothies, candy, etc.), and let me tell you - it is HARD! Unappetizing slabs of cake that once didn't tempt me in the dining hall now seem to be beckoning me to eat them, and the smell of baked goods in the campus coffee shop is no help either! I started out telling myself I would give up muffins as well, mostly because the majority of muffins out there are quite heavy and sweet. However, my mom convinced me that if I kept the mix-ins healthy and stuck to a smaller muffin size, I'd still be able to nom nom nom on them for breakfast or snacks. And I have done just that!
I came across a very simple recipe for banana muffins on Allrecipes.com, and they seemed perfect the way they were, but I wanted to try and bump up the nutrition content so I wouldn't feel so guilty about eating them! I had these banana muffins on the brain for the past week, and I finally concluded that I would replace most of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat, throw in some toasted coconut and chopped pecans, and even some nutmeg and a splash of vanilla extract. Not only did these muffins turn out uh-mazingly delish, the coconut and pecans gave them a slightly tropical vibe. Heads up, though! The original cooking time in the recipe is about 25 to 30 minutes, but my muffins were perfect in just 20 minutes. Just keep an eye on them, and they'll turn out fine!
I can't wait to eat one of these bad boys in the morning, possibly with a hot mug of tea. These muffins also bring to mind one of my favorite corny jokes, so here goes... What was Beethoven's favorite fruit? (answer at the bottom of the page)
Toasted Coconut and Pecan Banana Muffins
Dry ingredients:
1/3 cup (plus 1 tablespoon) sweetened coconut
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup chopped pecans
Wet ingredients:
3 large ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1/3 cup butter, melted
Preheat the oven 350 degrees. Spread the coconut evenly on a cookie sheet and toast in the oven for about 5-7 minutes, or until light golden brown. Reserve about 1 tablespoon for topping the muffins.
Mix together all of the dry ingredients, including the toasted coconut in a medium bowl. Set aside. In another medium bowl, thoroughly mix together the wet ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until everything is just moistened - don’t overmix!
Spray a 12-cup muffin tin well with cooking spray and fill each cup about 3/4 full. Sprinkle the remaining toasted coconut on the tops of the muffins. Bake these tasty little beauties for about 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool slightly and enjoy!
*Answer to corny joke: BA-NA-NA-NA!
I came across a very simple recipe for banana muffins on Allrecipes.com, and they seemed perfect the way they were, but I wanted to try and bump up the nutrition content so I wouldn't feel so guilty about eating them! I had these banana muffins on the brain for the past week, and I finally concluded that I would replace most of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat, throw in some toasted coconut and chopped pecans, and even some nutmeg and a splash of vanilla extract. Not only did these muffins turn out uh-mazingly delish, the coconut and pecans gave them a slightly tropical vibe. Heads up, though! The original cooking time in the recipe is about 25 to 30 minutes, but my muffins were perfect in just 20 minutes. Just keep an eye on them, and they'll turn out fine!
I can't wait to eat one of these bad boys in the morning, possibly with a hot mug of tea. These muffins also bring to mind one of my favorite corny jokes, so here goes... What was Beethoven's favorite fruit? (answer at the bottom of the page)
Toasted Coconut and Pecan Banana Muffins
Dry ingredients:
1/3 cup (plus 1 tablespoon) sweetened coconut
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup chopped pecans
Wet ingredients:
3 large ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1/3 cup butter, melted
Preheat the oven 350 degrees. Spread the coconut evenly on a cookie sheet and toast in the oven for about 5-7 minutes, or until light golden brown. Reserve about 1 tablespoon for topping the muffins.
Mix together all of the dry ingredients, including the toasted coconut in a medium bowl. Set aside. In another medium bowl, thoroughly mix together the wet ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until everything is just moistened - don’t overmix!
Spray a 12-cup muffin tin well with cooking spray and fill each cup about 3/4 full. Sprinkle the remaining toasted coconut on the tops of the muffins. Bake these tasty little beauties for about 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool slightly and enjoy!
*Answer to corny joke: BA-NA-NA-NA!
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