Banana-Nut Muffins

This recipe is perhaps going to forever brand me as an incorrigible slave to banana breads-- after all, I've blogged before about my banana nut bread and banana corn bread.

But hear me out: banana breads are, after all, the easiest quick bread to throw together. There always is an overripe banana or two sitting in our kitchen by the end of the week, and my hubby Desi is so in love with this versatile fruit, he almost went into a panic the other day when he read this article in the New York Times.

This banana nut muffin is in some ways similar to my nut bread, but this time its goodness comes in cuter, smaller versions. The batter is also much easier to put together and takes just a few minutes.

So here's the wholesome, moist and luscious goodness of these dairy-free, egg-free banana-nut muffins. Hope you enjoy them!

Luscious Banana Nut Muffins

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

6 tbsp canola oil

3/4 cup sugar

1 tbsp molasses (optional)

2 tbsp powdered flax seeds mixed well with 6 tbsp water

2 very ripe bananas, mashed

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup pecans (can use walnuts), lightly toasted, then chopped

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and oil a standard-size muffin tin (mine bakes 12 muffins at a time).

Mix the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and chopped nuts.

In a larger bowl, mix the oil, sugar, molasses, flax seed-water mixture, bananas and vanilla extract.

Mix in the flour mixture until all the wet ingredients are just moist. Do not overmix. The batter should be lumpy, like pancake batter, rather than smooth.

With a standard-sized ice cream scoop, or with a tablespoon, divide the batter equally among the 12 muffin tins.

Bake for about 18 minutes in a 375-degree oven or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out almost dry, with a few crumbs sticking to it.

Let cool for a couple of minutes before unmolding. They taste great warm or at room temperature.