Category: Snack

Banana Maple Muffins

I swear, it’s almost like I subconsciously buy bananas with no intentions on eating them but instead to let them sit on the counter till they’re ready to be turned into a dessert. Anyone else?!?!

I’ve been all about maple the last few weeks. It give so much depth and flavor to things while being a natural sweetener. These muffins are by far the best Banana Muffins I’ve had. They are moist and flavorful and oh so tasty. Sienna absolutely LOVED them too.

Another thing I have been obsessed with recently is browning butter. I’ve been doing it a lot in dinner dishes but a friend said it’s great in baking so these were the perfect opportunity to try it out. You can easily just used melted butter for these but I will continue to brown butter in All. The. Things. Try it out at least once!

These are delicious as is but also fantastic with a glaze drizzled on top. Check out the Pumpkin Maple loaf for an easy glaze!

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Banana Maple Muffins

A super moist muffin packed with deep maple and banana flavors.
Course Dessert
Prep Time 5 minutes
Servings 12 muffins

Ingredients

  • 1 1/3 cup almond flour
  • 1/2 cup coconut flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  • 6 tbsp butter browned
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 3 bananas very ripe

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  • In a small bowl mix all dry ingredients and set aside.
  • Over medium-high heat, melt butter till it starts to bubble and froth. Stir consistently till it starts to brown. remove from heat and set aside in small bowl.
  • In medium bowl, mash bananas. Add eggs, brown sugar, maple syrup and vanilla. Mix.
  • When butter has cooled slightly, add into banana mixture slowly stirring quickly the whole time. If butter is too hot, it will scramble the eggs so do this carefully.
  • Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix.
  • Pour evenly in muffin/cupcake tin to make 12 muffins.
  • Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.
  • Enjoy as is or add a cinnamon glaze – see pumpkin loaf for a quick glaze!

Corn & Bean Dip

This dip has been around for quite some time. It first made its appearance YEARS ago when my cousins girlfriend, at the time, made the original version. Aside from the corn, beans and feta, I don’t remember if there was anything else in it originally because it has since then been altered and slightly changed up depending on who is making it since it can be customized to your own flavor preferences. For example, my friend hates tomatoes, so she ditches those. Also, the original called for white sugar, which you can use, but I’ve cleaned it up a bit with coconut sugar and it’s just as delicious. The corn, beans and feta though, must remain the same.

This dip is sweet from the corn and sugar, salty from the feta, and acidic and tart from the apple cider vinegar. A perfect combination!

Since the feta in this is derived from sheeps milk, it doesn’t seem to bother me as far as migraines go. There isn’t a ton of it and it isn’t as processed as other cheeses so I usually do okay with it.

You can eat this with chips or a baguette. Or start with the chips and move on to the bread. Trust me, you’re going to want to soak up the juices at the end of this!

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Corn & Bean Dip

Sweet, salty and tangy. The perfect combination for this delicious dip!
Course Appetizer
Prep Time 5 minutes
Servings 6 people
Author Nikki

Ingredients

  • 1 can sweet corn rinsed & drained
  • 1 can black beans rinsed & drained
  • 4 oz feta crumbled (just under 1/2 cup when crumbled)
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup coconut sugar
  • 3 tblsp scallions sliced
  • 3/4 cup cherry tomatoes diced

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl, whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar and coconut sugar.
  • Add corn, beans, feta, tomato and scallion.
  • Mix and enjoy!

Notes

Scallions and tomatoes are optional in this but unless you have a strong aversion to them, I highly recommend keeping them involved!

Traditional Guacamole

If you don’t love guacamole, then you’re some kind of alien or something. Guac = Life! I’ve been seeing some crazy guacamole recipes lately but before branching out and stepping out the regular guacamole comfort zone, lets bring it back to basics with an easy and delicious traditional Guacamole.

I don’t know about you, but I LOVE cilantro. So this is packed with fresh herby cilantro. Be careful though – I have the cilantro measured BEFORE its chopped. Just to make it a little easier. I know I hate chopping a bunch of herbs just to use a portion of what’s there. So for this, it’s a lightly packed 2/3 of a cup of fresh whole cilantro. Then go ahead and chop away!

Jalapenos are optional for this. I love spice so for me, I would always add them. But if I’m going to be giving this to my kids (or my mom, lol) I omit them.

Guac Hacks:

  • Grate in the the garlic! It’s about 1/2 a small clove of garlic (1/2 tsp) but if you grate it in with a fine grater or zester, it breaks down the garlic so there’s not a huge bite of it when in the guacamole. I know some people don’t like garlic in their guac, but try it this way and tell me what you think!
  • To keep the guacamole super fresh – add the lime right away to the avocados and then after each ingredient is added. SO for this it calls for 1 lime. Juice half of it into the mashed up avocados. Then after you add each ingredient, use the other half to add lime juice in till its all juiced!
  • Use Roma Tomatoes! They don’t have as much of the watery mushy inside as others like beefsteak so you will eliminate needing more tomato than necessary or having your guacamole watery!
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Traditional Guacamole

A simple yet delicious guac that will be the hit of any event!
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Mexican
Prep Time 5 minutes
Servings 6 people

Ingredients

  • 2 large ripe avocados
  • 1 large lime
  • 2/3 cup cilantro whole, not sliced yet
  • 1/4 cup red onion finely chopped
  • 1/2 large roma tomato chopped
  • 1/2 tsp garlic grated
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • sprinkle pepper
  • 1 jalapeno diced *optional

Instructions

  • Scoop out avocados and mash with fork.
  • Juice 1/2 lime over avocados. Save the other half and juice it over and mix lightly after each ingredient is added.
  • Chop cilantro, red onion, tomato and grate garlic and add. *add jalapeno too if using.
  • Add salt and pepper.
  • To store, completely suffocate guac with plastic wrap to avoid browning!

Notes

Yields 1 1/2 cups of guac.

Banana Date Muffins

Who doesn’t love a good muffin? Banana muffins, or banana bread, are usually what I have baking in my house because for some reason, I get bananas and NO ONE eats them. Overly ripe bananas are the key ingredient to great banana muffins!

While bananas are necessary for a BANANA muffin, I promise you, dates are the secret to these. I am obsessed with dates and use them all the time to sweeten EVERYTHING. You can substitute coconut sugar for these but trust me, you’re not going to want to. When mixed with the almond butter, they keep these muffins moist and creamy once baked and they don’t dry out. I will find other things for you to add your extra dates to, promise. Or, make a double batch of these and give them to you family and they will love you forever!

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Banana Date Muffins

The most perfect chocolatey and moist muffin.
Course Dessert
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 12 muffins

Equipment

  • Oven
  • Muffin Tin

Ingredients

  • 3 overly ripe bananas
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup almond butter split – 1/4 cup & 1/4 cup
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup dates pitted
  • 1 1/4 cups almond flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips enjoy life brand

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  • In one bowl, mix together all dry ingredients – almond flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt. Set aside.
  • In separate bowl, beat together 3 bananas, 1 egg, vanilla and 1/4 cup of almond butter.
  • In a food processor, add 1 packed cup of pitted dates and 1/4 cup of almond butter. Blend until almond butter and dates are mixed and super fine.
  • Add date and almond butter mixture to the wet ingredients, mix.
  • Mix in dry ingredients until fully incorporated.
  • Fold in chocolate chips.
  • Pour batter 3/4 of the way into greased cupcake tray – coconut oil/olive oil/avocado oil very little needed.
  • Put topping on – chocolate chips, nuts, coconut flakes, etc.
  • Bake 13-15 minutes and let cool after cooked.