Magic Muffins
let me introduce you to your new favorite muffins!
I knew I had to share these muffins with you when everyone who tried them asked for the recipe. Hence why I named them my magic muffins. They magically please everyone. And that’s a tall order! They’re also 100% vegan.
They’re crowd-pleasing, dense and so good you’ll want to eat them all at once. No judgement if you do!
What do I love about these bad boys? They’re not overly sweet and strike the perfect balance between healthy and also downright delicious.
Plus, the ingredients are easy to find and they take less than 15 minutes to prepare.
Let’s get to it, shall we?
Ingredients:
2 medium carrots, shredded in a food processor
3 ripe bananas (Note: If they aren’t ripe, that’s ok, use them anyway! I’ve tested with ripe and unripe and both taste delish!)
3 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted
1.5 c whole wheat flour (you can substitute any flour here)
1 Tsp. baking powder
1 Tsp. baking soda
3/4 c. coconut sugar
6 Tbsp. soy milk (substitute any plant milk)
1/2 c. dark chocolate chips
Toppings: Cacao chips (melted), Finely chopped hazelnuts (Walnuts, almonds, pistachios or pumpkin seeds would also work nicely), Sea salt flakes or course sea salt (I like Maldon’s)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
In a large bowl, mash the bananas. Next add in the carrots and combine. Add soy milk and coconut oil and fold together.
In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients: coconut sugar, whole wheat flour, baking powder and baking soda. Make sure there are no clumps and all ingredients are mixed together.
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet banana mixture. Make sure all dry ingredients are fully incorporated. Fold in dark chocolate chips.
Using a large cookie scoop, divide the mixture into 12 muffin tins. (Note: I like to use a non-stick silicone silpat muffin mold to avoid using additional oil, plus they pop right out!)
Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 30-60 minutes. Once cooled, drizzle with melted cacao chips and sprinkle with hazelnuts immediately so they stick to muffin. Store in a glass container.
Additional notes: While these muffins are delicious right after baking, I prefer them the next morning as they firm up a bit. I’m intrigued to see how these would taste with the addition of a pumpkin spice blend. Stay turned for that variation!
Makes: 12 muffins
Store in a cool dry place. Should last fresh up to one week, but I don’t believe they’ll last long!
Ingredient Spotlight:
Banana: I used to have a so-so relationship with bananas. They kind of grossed me out. My taste buds have developed and I’m now a huge fan. They’re packed with nutrients like potassium (hello lower blood pressure and electrolytes that regulate heart function and fluid balance!), vitamin B6, B2 and C, magnesium, biotin and FIBER! If that weren’t enough to convince you to eat more of them, they’re also soothing to our gastrointestinal tract thanks to their high pectin content—a soluble fiber that lowers cholesterol and normalizes bowl function. All good things!
Cacao: Cacao (not to be confused with cocoa) is a powerful antioxidant. On the more ‘woo’ end of the spectrum, it’s been known to help get us out of our heads and into our hearts. It helps calm the nervous system, prolong focus, and increase energy. “Ceremonial grade” cacao can be used for a morning elixir drink—without the jitters from caffeine.
Carrots: The carrot provides the highest source of provitamin A carotenes, which the body can convert to vitamin A (retinol). Did you know that two carrots provides roughly 4,050 retinol equivalents, or roughly 4x the RDA of vitamin A? Carrots also provide excellent levels of vitamin K, biotin, vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium and thiamine. Not to mention the fiber it provides! Carrots are high in antioxidants, which are compounds that help protect against cardiovascular disease and cancer. And yes, I know what you’re thinking—they’re good for our eye health too thanks to the beta-carotenes that is protective against macular degeneration and the development of cataracts. Eat up, folks!
Coconut Oil: While I wouldn’t recommend consuming lots of added oil, coconut oil does have a few beneficial nutrients worth noting including: manganese, molybdenum, copper, selenium and zinc. It also contains the antimicrobial element lauric acid as well as caprylic acid, an antifungal. Which type of coconut oil is best? Organic, raw, extra-virgin and unrefined. It works well in recipes because it’s sweet and tropical in taste.