Chocolate and Banana Muffins

Really? Muffins?

Cooking and eating a paleo diet takes a bit of a mental adjustment as well as a physical one. But once you commit to it, you will love the results. I am going on my second month and the shopping, cooking, and food preparation is becoming routine. However, I miss baking and chocolate! This morning I spent several hours in the kitchen experimenting with some different recipes and came up with some pretty good ones. If you like the taste of carrot cake and banana bread, try the banana muffins. For your chocolate craving, cook some of the chocolate muffins and eat one while it’s still warm.  Yummm…

Banana Muffins

Makes 6 large muffins

3/4 cup mashed ripe banana (about 1-1/2 medium bananas)

¼ cup grated carrots

¼ chopped dates, or whole raisins

1 egg

1/8 cup coconut oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup almond meal/flour

1 teaspoon baking powder 

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon sea salt

¼ cup organic coconut flakes (optional)

2 tablespoons agave nectar (optional) (Will make a sweeter muffin, but I think they taste great without it)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine bananas through vanilla in a bowl. Add remaining ingredients and stir until combined. Line a muffin pan with cupcake papers, or grease 8 cups in the pan. Pour about ¼ batter into each of the 8 cups. Sprinkle some extra coconut on the tops of the muffins. Bake for 15 minutes or until a knife inserted into a muffin comes out clean. Cool for a few minutes in the pan.

Chocolate Muffins

Makes 6 large muffins

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup almond meal/flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon espresso powder (optional)

¼ teaspoon sea salt

* ¼ cup cacao nibs

1 egg

½ cup almond or coconut milk (Silk, So Delicious)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cider vinegar

3 tablespoons agave nectar

½ cup coconut oil, melted and cooled

*Cacao nibs are the original unsweetened chocolate chip. They are a rich supply of antioxidants and magnesium.  Available at some grocery stores, but you can usually find them at a health food store.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin pan with cupcake papers, or grease the cups.

Mix together the cocoa, almond meal, baking powder, baking soda, espresso powder, sea salt, and cacao nibs. In another bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, vanilla, vinegar, and agave nectar. Add coconut oil and blend. Pour into dry ingredients in the other bowl and mix just until combined.

Scoop about ¼ cup of the batter into each prepared muffin cup. Bake for 15 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool the pan on a rack for a few minutes before removing the muffins from pan.

Kill your cravings, but remember baked goods should be considered a treat. The almond flour contains high fat content, and the bananas and dates have high glycemic index values.