Healthy banana & chocolate muffins (v+gf)

I'm finally back with another recipe - yes, I am alive but university can really eat your time away! These sweet little muffins are filled with great flavor and nutrients, plus they are totally free of sugar, wheat, milk products and eggs so everyone can enjoy the famous banana-choc combination. 

Makes about 9 medium-size muffins:

*adapted from Zoe Nathan's "Huckleberry"

- 70g gluten-free blend (I'm using this one)

- 2 tbsp walnuts, roasted and ground

- 3 tbsp almond flour

- 1,5 tbsp flax seed meal

- 1 tsp baking powder

- 1 tsp baking soda

- pinch of salt

- 1/2 tsp cinnamon

- 3 tbsp canola oil

- 50ml honey

- 3 tbsp non-dairy milk of choice (I used almond milk)

- 3 medium-sized, ripe bananas, mashed

- 60g dark chocolate, chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 350F/180C.

2. In  a large bowl, mix gluten-free flour, nuts, flax seed, baking powde, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine. 

3. Fill the prepared muffin cups with batter and bake for about 20-25 minutes, until golden-brown on top and set on the inside. Cool slightly before serving.

 BON APPÉTIT ! 

Gluten-free raspberry & chocolate muffins (gf)

These little ones are perfect for all those light summer feasts where dense and sugary bakes just seem too much. They are tender, full of healthy ingredients and totally guilt-free.

Makes about 15 muffins:
recipe adapted from australian Delicious magazine

- 110g (1 cup) coconut flour
- 200g (2 cups) almond meal
- 3 tsp gluten-free baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 3 free-range eggs
- 185ml (3/4 cup) canola oil
- 120ml (1/2 cup) honey
- 210g (3/4 cup) Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 180g (about 4 handfuls) fresh raspberries
- 130g (3/4 cup) dark chocolate chips



1. Preheat the oven to 170C/338F. Line the muffin tray with paper cups and set aside.

2.In a large bowl, sift the coconut flour, baking powder and salt. Mix in the almond meal.

3. In another bowl mix the eggs with oil, honey, yogurt and vanilla until smooth. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones and mix well.

4. Stir in the choccolate chips and raspberries leaving some of the fruits for topping. Fill the paper cups with batter and decorate the tops with halved fruits.

5. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the cake tester comes out clean. If muffins start to brown too much, cover them with aluminium foil.

6. Place the baked muffins on a rack and leave to cool completely.

BON APPÉTIT !

Almond crumb apricot muffins

Soft, delicate and not too sweet - these beauties are perfect for summer snack (or breakfast). They are this kind of express bakes which can save your life whenever you have less than 30 minutes for preparations. 

Makes about 15 muffins:

- 260g (2 cups) flour

- 1 tsp baking powder

- 1/2 tsp baking soda

- 150g (3/4 cup) sugar

- 1 tsp vanilla extract

- pinch of salt

- 2 free-range eggs

- 125ml (1/2 cup) canola oil

- 150ml (3/4 cup) milk

- 8 apricots, chopped

CRUMB

- 50g (1/2 cup) flour

- 50g (1/2 cup) almond flour

- 25g (2 tbsp) cold butter

- 3 tbsp sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 190C/374F.

2. Sift all of the dry ingredients into a large bowl, than add the eggs, oil and milk. Mix well to combine.

3. Make the crumb: in another bowl mix the flours, sugar and butter. Rub the mixture between your fingertips to get a crumbly consistency. 

4. Fill the prepared muffin cups with batter (about 3/4 of each) and spoon some chopped apricots on it. Top with a generous amount of crumb. 

5. Bake the muffins for about 25-30 minutes or until the crumb turns golden-brown. 

BON APPÉTIT !

Raspberry jam muffins with peanut butter crumble

As a Polish girl, I had the opportunity to get my first homemade pb&j few years ago, when my older brother (who then couldn’t even make a scrambled egg) made me one. He stood there, proudly waiting for my positive review and all in all, he wasn’t disappointed because a moment later, this sweet-and-salty delicacy conquered the whole house.

This recipe is another modification of one of my favorite foreign goodies. Delicate cake topped with raspberry jam and peanut butter crumble will be a great spring dessert to which you can always add some fresh fruit when only in season.

Ingredients for about 12 muffins:

Adaptation: food52

CAKE:

- 250g light spelt flour

- 1 tbsp baking powder

- 100g cane sugar

- 1/2 cup yogurt

- 80ml milk

- 80ml oil

- 1 tsp vanilla

- 1 free-range egg

- pinch of salt

- naturally sweetened raspberry jam

CRUMBLE:

- 40g light spelt flour

- 30g rolled oats

- 1.5 tbsp cane sugar

- 80g peanut butter

- 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F.

2. In a large bowl, combine sifted flour, baking powder, baking soda and sugar. In a separate bowl mix the oil, egg, yogurt and vanilla and whisk gently to combine. Then gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ones, alternately pouring milk. If the batter seems too thick, add a bit more milk.

3. In a small bowl, place all the crumble ingredients and blend or - if the butter is too hard - use your hands to mash up the streusel.

4. Put the butter into greased muffin tin or paper liners filling about 3/4 of the height and place a heaping teaspoon of jam on top of each one. Sprinkle evenly with the peanut crumble.

5. Bake for 20-25 minutes.  

BON APPETIT !