Written by Megan Lee, Registered Dietician, March 2024
Banana bread is great, but these easy banana nut muffins are the perfect ‘grab and go’ snack for those days where you simply do not have the time or energy to put something together before running out the house. Whip these up in thirty minutes and have conveniently portioned and portable snacks for the week ahead.
These muffins are a wonderfully balanced snack option. The flour and banana provide
carbohydrates for energy. The walnuts and pecan nuts provide a satisfying crunch as well as protein and important fats, aiding in sustained energy levels. The walnuts in particular pack a punch of omega 3 fatty acids, which is a crucial nutrient in the maintenance of cognitive and cardiovascular health and reducing inflammation.
Make use of baking basics for this recipe. Nothing particularly fancy ingredient-wise, however, you can spruce these up however you wish by adding raisins, choc chips, coconut flakes, sprinkles....the choices are endless!
Recipe (makes 12 regular sized muffins)
Ingredients
● 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
● 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
● ⅓ cup sugar
● 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
● ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
● 3-4 super ripe bananas, mashed
● 1 egg
● 80g salted butter, melted - or ⅓ cup vegetable oil
(if using vegetable oil or unsalted butter, add ½ teaspoon of salt)
● 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
● ⅓ cup milk
● ½ cup chopped walnuts
● ½ cup chopped pecan nuts
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius.
2. Generously grease a muffin tray using oil or butter.
3. In a medium sized bowl, sift the flour, add the baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and
sugar. Whisk to combine.
4. In a larger bowl, combine the mashed banana, egg, melted butter or oil, vanilla essence
and milk.
5. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, and gently fold until combined.
6. Add the chopped nuts and gently fold until the nuts are evenly dispersed.
7. Spoon the muffin mixture into the muffin tray, filling the cups up to the brim.
8. Place in the oven to bake for 20 minutes or until golden and a knife comes out clean.
9. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before loosening them out of their cups with a knife, and
further cool on a cooling rack.
10. Eat and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy fresh out of the oven with a dollop of butter.
Add cheese or nut butter for a more substantial snack.
Eat alongside some yoghurt and fresh fruit for breakfast.
Storage
Store in an airtight container. They keep for a few days at room temperature, or about a week in the fridge. They are also perfect for freezing, if you want to keep some for longer than a week's time.
For personalised guidance on making nutritious and satisfying food choices that suit your individual needs, book a consultation here.https://www.gabimeltzerdietician.com/book-online.