Vegan Banana, Date & Walnut Muffins

The humble banana bread, it’s an all-time favorite recipe loved by almost everyone. That is why it has become the go-to snack to bake in house-holds over recent times. There are so many recipe variations; however they are usually loaded with sugar, butter, and processed flours. What people don't know is that the recipe can make amazing muffins too.

These simple, health-loaded banana muffins are gluten, dairy, and refined sugar-free. They're made with buckwheat flour, which is high in antioxidants, fiber, and a great source of digestible plant protein and almond meal, which is particularly rich in Vitamin E and magnesium - two key nutrients for great health.

Serves 12 cupcakes or 1 standard banana bread.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups buckwheat flour
• ½ cup almond meal
• Pinch salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp coconut sugar (optional)
• 1 handful walnuts roughly chopped
• 4 Medjool dates roughly chopped
• 2 large ripe bananas mashed
• ⅓ cup plant-based milk (I love unsweetened almond milk)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2-3 tbsp rice malt syrup (can substitute with pure maple syrup or honey, if you prefer sweeter, add more)

What to do

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
2. In a large mixing bowl, sift buckwheat flour, almond meal, salt, baking powder, and coconut sugar.
3. In a separate bowl, mash bananas with a fork and then add plant-based milk, vanilla extract, rice malt syrup and stir till combined.
4. Mix together wet ingredients with the dry ingredients until well combined (if the batter seems too thick, add a splash more plant-based milk).
5. Roughly chop walnuts and dates. Add these last to the mixture and stir through.
6. Line a cupcake tray with holders (or a cake tin with baking paper) and add roughly 1 heaped tbsp of mixture per muffin. (Option to decorate muffins with banana slices, more nuts/dates, cinnamon, shredded coconut, etc.).
7. This makes around 12 muffins.
8. Bake in the oven for around 15-20 mins until lightly golden (alternatively, for a loaf bake for around 35-50 mins).
9. Allow to cool, then enjoy!

TIPS: Buckwheat flour and almond meal can be found in most supermarkets in the health aisle or health-food stores.

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