Mocha Banana Muffins

I believe that if you can eat chocolate for breakfast you should, and if that chocolate happens to be healthy, paired with coffee, and baked into soft muffin-y form then all the better. If you have bananas languishing in your fruit bowl at the end of the week, some cocoa powder, and a few eggs, then you are well on your way to a healthy weekend breakfast treat.

This weekend I am going to the Good Food and Wine Show with my friend Casey, but beforehand we are meeting with my Mum, sister, and friend Bree at the Farmer’s Markets for breakfast and coffee – you know, to pre-fuel for our day of eating samples of myriad delicious things. So, healthy, gluten free, chocolate and banana muffins were my pick for a breakfast treat. Paired with a cappuccino from my favourite coffee shop we will be ready for a day of touring the halls of the convention centre in search of nibbles of cheese, and new gluten free products.

You are going to love these muffins. Quick to assemble and put in the oven, you can make them in the morning and serve them fresh to your family for breakfast, or you can mix them up while dinner is cooking and have fresh treats for the whole family’s lunch boxes. This recipe would make a great baking project to make with little ones who are just learning to bake. A few simple steps, some measuring (a great way to learn maths – it certainly helped me), and a delicious result! All you need to do is mash bananas (a great job for little kids too), mix in yoghurt and eggs, and add to some gluten free flour with a handful of chocolate chips (because, sometimes you need chocolate chips in your breakfast). Bake them for 20 minutes and voila! Mocha Banana Muffins for the whole family to enjoy.

Mocha Banana Muffins

Makes 12 muffins | Gluten Free | Leftovers will keep 3 days at room temperature in an airtight container or wrapped tightly frozen for up to 2 months

Note: if you don’t need these to be gluten free, use 210 grams (1 1/2 cups) plain flour in place of the hazelnut meal, sorghum flour, and white rice flour.

Ingredients

• 2 large bananas, well mashed
• 2/3 cup non-fat Greek yoghurt (or plain natural yoghurt)
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoon rice bran oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla essence
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/2 teaspoon instant coffee powder
• 1/2 cup (100 grams) brown sugar
• 2/3 cup hazelnut meal
• 1/3 cup white rice flour
• 2/3 cup sorghum flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 200C (400F) and line a 12-cup muffin pan with muffin papers.
2. In a medium bowl mix together mashed bananas, yoghurt, eggs, oil, and vanilla essence until thick and smooth.
3. Dissolve coffee powder in water and add to banana mixture along with brown sugar. Whisk until smooth.
4. In a large bowl whisk together hazelnut meal, white rice flour, sorghum flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
5. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and whisk until just combined.
6. Add chocolate chips and stir gently until well distributed.
7. Divide batter evenly between muffin papers.
8. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the tops bounce back when gently touched.
9. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then remove from the pan and cool to room temperature.