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Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Banana Crumble Muffins - Vegan and Gluten Free!


I always have muffins on hand. They are my favorite foods for tots because you can pack a lot of nutrition into one muffin, creating a complete meal for days your little one is being picky, or you need something quick and mess free to take on the road. I cook in large batches and store in the freezer, rotating through and using as needed.We always try to create variety, and some of our all time favorite muffins are: Pumpkin Walnut,  Apple Cinnamon Veggie, and Carrot.


We had just ran out of banana muffins and the bananas I bought at the supermarket were finally ripe and ready to use. I followed my original recipe (because it's just so good) and made a few changes because I wanted to experiment with something new: the crumble top.

Nya loves to help me make them...


And eat the batter too!


I love the original, but these are amazing for adding some extra vitamins, minerals, calories, and healthy fats for growing little ones. They're extra sweet for those with a sweet tooth or wanting "dessert". Have some fun, and get your little ones involved!

What you need:

Batter 

  • 1.5 c dates, softened and pitted (any variety will work!)
  • 6 Medium Bananas, ripened
  • 3/4 c Natural Almond Butter (nothing added!) *
  • 1 tsp Pure Vanilla
  • 1/4 c  Water mixed with 1.5 Tbsp Ground Flax
  • 2 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1.5 tsp Baking Powder
  • Dash of Sea Salt
  • 2 1/4 c Gluten Free Oats ground to flour **
* You can substitute 1 c raw almonds - If subbing almonds, add in step 2.
** You can sub any flour you wish. Brown rice, Quinoa, Spelt, and whole wheat all work well!


Crumble Top

  • 1/2 c pitted dates (any variety will work)
  • 3/4 c pecans

What you do:


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a high speed blender or food processor, blend dates, bananas and vanilla until smooth. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. (If using raw almonds, add them here).


3. Add the water/flax mixture and almond butter and stir well.

4. Add remaining ingredients (Cinnamon, Baking Powder, Salt, and Oat Flour) and stir until incorporated.


5. Spoon into silicon or slightly oiled muffin pans. 

6. Make the crumble topping by pulsing ingredients in a food processor or high speed blender until chunky. Scoop a small amount on top of each muffin.


7. Bake for 12 minutes (May need longer baking time for larger muffin pan or bread loaf). Makes about 60 mini muffins.


Enjoy!

Why These Ingredients:
Almonds - High in Biotin, Vitamin E, Manganese, Copper, B2, Potassium (promotes a healthy and responsive nervous system), Magnesium, and healthy fats. Almonds are known to lower cholesterol, reduce heart disease risk, and improve the flow of blood, oxygen, and nutrients throughout the body

Bananas - Provide a variety of vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin C, Potassium, Vitamin B6, Manganese, Magnesium, Folate, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin A, and Iron. Studies have shown that bananas aid in lowering blood pressure, reduce the risk of asthma, improve blood sugar, and support heart health.

Dates - High levels of Soluble Fiber, Iron, and Potassium contain excellent levels of Selenium, Manganese, Copper, and Magnesium. Helps formulate friendly bacteria in intestines (helps with constipation and digestive issues). Dates have also shown in research studies to reduce the risk and impact of abdominal cancer. 

Ground Flax - High in Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Fiber. Also known to improve blood sugar, lower cholesterol, and protect against cancer and radiation.

Oats (Unprocessed) - Known to improve the immune system, control blood pressure, lower bad cholesterol, and stabilize blood sugar. They have also been shown to lower the risk of Type 2 Diabetes, and phytoestrogen compounds (called lignans) in oats have been linked to decreased risk of hormone-related diseases such as breast cancer. Oats also provide high levels of Manganese, Fiber, Iron, Phosphorus, Biotin, Vitamin B1, and Magnesium.

Pecans - Besides being a naturally sweet nut, pecans are high in Fiber, Protein, and Essential Fatty Acids (helps to decrease total as well as LDL cholesterol). Pecans also provide an excellent source of Vitamin E (helps maintain integrity of cells and skin by protecting from harmful oxygen-free radicals), B Complex (Riboflavin, Niacin, Thiamin, Pantothenic Acid, Vit B-6, and Folates which work for the enzyme metabolism inside the body), Manganese, Potassium, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Zinc, and Selenium. 


To connect with others in this crazy journey of life, discover new parenting ideas & fun DIY projects, learn about holistic remedies, & find whole food plant based recipes, please visit our Facebook page Loving Green at Loving Green FB.

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