Avocado Banana Muffins

Avocado Banana Muffins

For some time, I’ve been hearing the health benefits of avocados.  Janet Podleski, the nutritionist sister of Eat, Shrink and Be Merry fame has said we should all have an avocado a day.  I’m certainly not living up to that standard, but when a young friend brought me an avocado banana muffin recently, I liked it so much that I asked for the recipe.  These muffins are good and good for you, being made with whole wheat flour and without eggs.  I substituted maple syrup and granulated sugar for honey since my vegan daughter says beekeepers make the bees work too hard (!).  I think honey would give a very nice flavor, but the muffins made with honey were dryer than mine.  The texture is quite firm, but my husband and I have found them strangely addictive.  If you’re looking for a different muffin experience, and one that makes you feel virtuous, they are worth a try.

Avocado Banana Muffins

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• ½ tsp sea salt
• 2 ripe avocados, pureed
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• ¾ cup honey (or can substitute ½ cup maple syrup and 1/3 cup granulated sugar)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Scant ¼ tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 ̊F.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.
3. In a large bowl, combine avocado, banana, honey and vanilla.
4. Fold dry mixture into the avocado-banana mixture.
5. Once combined, spoon into greased muffin pans, spreading evenly, if desired.
6. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into middle of muffin comes out clean. Let cool.

TIP: Will keep fresh covered in a container for up to 5 days.