Jonesinforfood

My parents have both been laid up with some nasty cough and upper respiratory thing.  I’ve refused to go near their house for fear of catching it, but I did bake up a warm breakfast to run over to them this morning.

I thought I’d try to get as much nutritional benefit into them, so I made some slight changes to a basic banana bread recipe.  The result was pretty tasty…and pretty good for you. 

Banana Nut Muffins for the ‘Rents

1 stick of butter, softened to room temp (or softened slightly in the microwave, which is what I did)

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 c. whole wheat flour

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 c. pure maple syrup

1/2 c. sugar

2 eggs

3 ripe bananas

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 c. chopped walnuts

olive oil spray for prepping the muffin tin

____________________________________________________

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix dry ingredients together.   Fork mash the bananas in a large bowl.  When they are mostly smooth, add the stick of butter, maple syrup, eggs and vanilla and beat with hand mixer.  When well-combined (it may still be lumpy or look weird, that’s okay), add it to the dry ingredients.   Mix with spoon until well-blended, but still lumpy.  Stir in walnuts.

Spritz muffin tin with olive oil (or you could use a non-stick spray…I just don’t like them).  Spoon batter into muffin cups about 3/4 to full. 

Bake approximately 40 minutes or so, until they are beginning to brown on the top and a toothpick comes out clean.

Remove from muffin tin to cool slightly before serving.

Cooper and I delivered them on the above pictured plate while they were still warm and my Dad had eaten two with his morning coffee before we left, so I think they were a hit.