I could hear the rain pat against the window pane. I was sitting at my desk, finishing an article I had been working on, and then I looked at the clock. 5:45. Déjà! I thought. Not much time before I feed and put Lulu to bed and start to think about dinner.
Patricia, my mother-in-law, was playing with her downstairs. I could hear them laugh; they were obviously having fun. Probably much more than moi and my article upstairs. I smiled, thinking about Lulu playing hide and seek with her grand-ma.
Well, June has just been a crazy month. But Patricia has been a doll with me. She’s come to stay with us for a few weeks, to help so that I could write and, yes, hear it, it’s happening, finish my manuscript. I am handing it to my editor on Wednesday and then I’ll wait for feedback. Oh I just cannot wait for this to happen.
I was starting to feel tired. Maybe hungry.
I need a nibble! I thought.
I walked downstairs to get a bowl of pecan nuts and a glass of water. When she saw me, Lulu’s face lit up with a smile so wide that I could see her bottom teeth; they are the cutest thing! She dropped the white bunny she was holding in one hand and started to flap her arms. “She is in good form,” I told Patricia.
We laughed.
“Do you mind making dinner?” I went on . “I have a pound of veal for stew in the fridge.”
“Of course!”
It’s been a treat to have her in my kitchen, playing with my foods and testing some of my recipes too. On my end, I’ve enjoyed having her taste recipes I cooked for the book, and others randomly made. Like these muffins.
They happened quite by accident, as a matter of fact. The truth is that I had a bunch of organic bananas that were so ripe that they needed to find a home.
“I have to bake something with these bananas,” I said to Patricia, holding a bunch of dark-looking ones. “I’d hate to toss them.” It happens, you know, when I am too busy and leave them, unattended. Am I alone to do that?
So I thought about muffins. In fact, I was in the mood for something combining coconut with bananas.
I didn’t have a recipe, but let my imagination lead me. And this is how these muffins arrived on our table.
They use quinoa, hazelnut and buckwheat flours; eggs; coconut oil; coconut milk, bananas and brown sugar. They bake in 25 minutes, are really simple to prepare and completely irresistible. And I don’t mean to be bragging. They might not be the cutest muffins you’ve seen but they are extremely moist, not too sweet, and have the texture I love in a muffin.
“Do you like them?” I asked Patricia when I handed her a plate with a muffin still warm from the oven. We were finished with dinner and were having a cup of tea, watching the Michael Jackson news on TV.
“They are divine!” she exclaimed.
I was happy.
I ate one for my mid-morning snack, one for breakfast, Philip took one to work. Then a friend stopped by and we ate a few with him, and I gave more to Patricia when she left yesterday. So in the end, ours are gone. Partis ! Pouf ! Disparus !
In only a matter of one day.
So I had to share the recipe with you. Hopefully, you’ll like them just as much as we did.
Starting on July 1st! Oh the prospect of the word v.a.c.a.t.i.o.n! Can you tell I am excited?
For 10 muffins
You need:
- 3 ripe bananas
- 2 eggs
- 2/3 cup packed (100 g) dark Muscovado sugar
- 1/3 cup unsweetened grated coconut + more for topping
- 1 cup quinoa flour
- 1/2 cup hazelnut flour
- 1/2 cup buckwheat flour
- 1/2 cup coconut oil*
- 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch of salt
*In a pot, heat the coconut oil on low to medium heat until melted. Measure then.
Steps:
- In a bowl, mash the bananas with a fork; set aside. Preheat the oven at 350 F. Fill a muffin mold with paper cases; set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the eggs with the sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the oil and mix well. Add the coconut milk and mix.
- In a bowl, combine the flours, grated coconut, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ones and mix until just combined.
- Add the bananas and mix gently.
- Fill the muffins cases. Sprinkle with more grated coconut and bake for 25 minutes.
Pour 10 muffins
Ingrédients :
- 3 bananes bien mûres
- 2 oeufs
- 100 g de sucre roux Muscovado
- 1/3 tasse noix de coco râpée + pour finition
- 100 g de farine de quinoa
- 1/2 tasse de farine de noisettes
- 1/2 tasse de farine de sarrasin
- 120 ml d’huile de noix de coco*
- 1/4 tasse de lait de coco non sucré
- 1 càc de poudre à lever
- 1/2 càc de bicarbonate de soude
- Pincée de sel
*faites chauffer l’huile de coco sur feu doux pour qu’elle se liquéfie. Mesurez ensuite.
Etapes :
- Dans un bol, écrasez les bananes avec une fourchette. Préchauffez le four à 180 C. Remplissez un moule à muffins de caissettes en papier, mettez de côté.
- Dans le bol de votre robot, battez les oeufs avec le sucre jusqu’à ce que la préparation soit légère et claire de couleur.
- Ajoutez l’huile, et le lait de coco et mélangez.
- Dans une jatte, mélangez les farines, la poudre à lever, la bicarbonate de soude et le sel.
- Ajoutez les ingrédients sec à la préparation liquide. Mélangez.
- Ajoutez les bananes et mélangez à nouveau.
- Remplissez les caissettes en papier. Saupoudrez de noix de coco râpée et enfournez pendant 25 minutes.
Beautiful flavours Bea!…Enjoy your vacation time with Lulu and family.
Yummy! So excited about your manuscript enjoy your family!
i love warm banana muffins and these with coconuts? I gotta try. Thanks for sharing Bea.
Super recette à tester d’urgence. Profite bien de ta petite famille!!
waouh, Lulu has got teeth (maybe just one tooth!) Our little J is 9 months and a bit and still no sign, well apart from the dribbling, the red cheeks and all the rest (not always so pleasant). I also love it in the evening when I get to the creche an she sees me : the big smile on her face, the crawling towards me, leading to a bit of a winge because it is never quick enough andthe massive cuddle her head in my neck! I can never have enough of it!
By the way, the recipe sounds lovely. Unfortunately both my men (we also have a “big” boy : L. who is 4 and a half (not to forget the 1/2 bit!)) do not like dessert…..Hoewever, L. loves cooking……so either I eat it all on my own…not good or take it to work!
I’ll have to try thoses muffins. My colleagues will be pleased!
Your baby is just wonderful…I can’t wait to get mine, too (in November, though :-)).
Bonne Dimanche
Francesca + 1 (Turin, Italy)
yum! I have been experimenting with coconut flour and other coconut products– they are so versatile, and what a beautiful little girl 🙂
they must be so moist with the coconut oil and milk and the ripe bananas… after tasting the pistachio and chocolate muffins, i know how moist these must be too. and i love how lulu’s dress matches the whole mood of the photos. lovely bea. thank goodness for family right?
Loved the photos, Lulu’s dress is so cute….
just wanted to say that when I have those bananas getting dangerously ripe, I peel them and stick the soft fruit in a small plastic bag in the freezer. I used not to peel even, but did not care for getting the peel off once they are frozen. Then I just write a number on the bag to indicate how many bananas are there.
Makes it very easy to incorporate in recipes later, and… saves me from trashing the bananas! 🙂
Lulu takes the cake:)
Have a good holiday Bea! Time to relax and enjoy yourselves.. I have just returned from an 18-day Switzerland with my husband & 2 children. It was a great holiday and I’m sure yours will be too!! Travel safe.
Angela KL
Toujours d’aussi belles photos et des recettes alléchantes! et lulu est trop adorable! ^^
I love muffins and cute baby(:
Such a wholesome recipe! I love your pictures, as well! Enjoy your vacation!
Glad to hear you’re getting out of town. Somewhere exotic? Enjoy your family. Lulu is a cutie. Now we await the arrival of your second “baby”.
Thank you for the “french corner”, the pictures are gorgeous !
Yes, I regularly have over-ripe bananas, I usually make some variation on a banana loaf, but next time I will bear in mind your recipe and try it instead. Merci.
Magnifiques muffins pour faire le plein de vitamines! Les photos des muffins sont jolies, mais c’est la petite Lulu qui vole la vedette!
Lovely post! Nice to see a muffin with such incredible ingredients and unique flavor combo. Sometimes it’s hard to get excited with the usual muffin yet very easy to be excited about this one. Was such a pleasure to meet you Beatrice, you are such an inspiration for me! Cheers, Jess
This recipe looks great for using up my bananas. I can’t wait to try them:)
I’m a sucker for any of your recipes using nut flours – I’m on the paleo diet and am constantly searching for smart baking ideas that don’t use grain/soy/tuber etc flours….so keep em coming please!
Amazing recipe, as always! I dream of the day I will receive your precious book (I just hope it will be available on line, otherwise it will be very difficult to find it in Greece!…)! Your little daughter is sooo pretty!…
Banana and coconut sounds really yummy and I bet it smelled like that in your kitchen. Lulu is adorable.
I am really looking forward to your book Bea! Lulu looks lovely in her pink polka print! :- )
shy
These look fantastic Bea! What a wonderful combination of flavors! Wish those flours were available here though. That photo of Lulu is just adorable…she is truly a beautiful baby 🙂
I love reading your stories. You always take me somewhere nice and warm, happy and enthusiastic.. Somewhere bright and sunny, passionate and gourmand!..
wow, looking forward to the finished product… and your girl has grown so much…i’m sure you’re crazy about her…. yummy muffin, as always.
I think the muffins look wonderful, and the crowns look perfect, especially dusted with the right amount of coconut!
Banana muffin? Sounds and Looks delicious…very moist…yummie. Great pictures!
lulu’s arms look more delicious than the muffins… 😉
Don’t throw out over-ripe banana’s – peel and freeze them in zip-lock bags! Defrost and use as required, or whiz with yoghurt and honey for instant frozen yoghurt, yum!
these look lovely – I have loved using my buckwheat flour lately til the weevils decided they loved it more than me – these muffins are on the list for when I buy more – soon I hope
Hi, I’m allergic to coconut. Do you think there’s something else which can be used as a substitute?
The pictures are absolutely great… as always! It’s a good idea for bananas… I ate to toss them too, but sometimes I forget to have some!!! Thanks for this 🙂
How gorgeous is Lulu! Such a lovely evocative post… What an achievement re. the manuscript, too! Bisous, A
hi béa, the banana and coconut combination sounds wonderful, a bit tropical i might say. i just had some chocolate chip banana bread, can’t wait to try these!
btw, lulu is just precious!
Wow, what an interesting mix of ‘flours’. These sound lovely. Cute baby picture, too! 🙂
Great recipe and great pictures as always…thanks for the constant inspiration.
I love the combination of the different flours you’ve used…another inspiring recipe..thank you.
what an unique mixture of flavors! and lovely photos as always 😉
Hello, I have just come across your blog and it is fab. What a welcome to give a new visitor … chocolate and beautiful photos. I absolutely adore the half eaten muffin photo along side the little princess.
i love love love your blog. adding it to my sidebar now!!
Bonjour Bea!
J’ai decouvert votre site juste maintenant. Je pense que vos recettes et photos sont tres beaux. J’aime votre blog. C’est tres mignon! Je vais retourner! Vous etes une inpiration a moi! 🙂 Merci et prennez soin!
This muffin sure looks good! The combination is all very new and interesting to me!
Ohhh I love the colour of Lulu’s eyes!
Many thanks everyone, as usual!
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Hi Béa,
I really like the new and clean version of your blog.
Ive been looking for a good banana muffin recipe. The last one I tried turned out awful!
I like the coconut addition to a banana muffin. Now why didn’t I think of that sooner!
I still love your photos!!! Amazing!!
Regards from Sweden & Agneta
Ps. welcome to my competition on my blog! Ds
Can’t wait to make these Bea. I’m just starting to cook for a family who wants to go gluten-free. This will be such a treat! Merci!
loveeeeeeeeeeeeee cherrrrry pie and banana muffins.<3
x
i love cherrrryyyyyyyyyyyyyy Blossommmmmmmmmmmmmm
always my bestfriend.x
Bonjour Bea, I really love your food + photography. Et ta francais, bien sur! Alors, j’ai un question, I would like to know if I can substitute the hazelnut flour for anything else. I can’t find hazelnut / almond flours here in Amsterdam (NLD).
I guess it would make a difference, because not all flours rise the same…
Granuaile,
Merci. Well, you know, if you can find hazelnuts and blanched whole almonds, simply use a good food processor and pulse them into fine powder. This is what hazelnut and almonds meal/flours are. Good luck !
Could I also use a non-nut-flour? I have several friends with nut allergies, and I am not sure if I can eat something with nut flour. So far I am only allergic to peanuts, and half a cup is not that much…
Could I sub this for any other flour?
Thanks! – Grace
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Any chance I can replace the Hazelnut flour with Almond?
Elisabeth, absolutely! A great substitution.
These are absolutely delicious!! The only substitutions I made were using coconut nectar (instead of the Moscovado sugar) and amaranth flour instead of hazelnut (which I didn’t have on hand). My husband and I had more than one with dinner (we couldn’t wait till dessert) and now I’m on my….third?! 🙂 Thank you for this wonderful recipe!!