Banana, Dates & Orange Muffins

This Banana Dates & Orange muffin is a nutrient dense snack that will definitely keep you satisfied in between your meals. The whole grain flour and oats makes these muffins a great source of fibre. You can combine this muffin with a glass of milk, bowl of yogurt or nut butter for a balanced carbohydrate + protein snack. Enjoy!

What you’ll need

• 1.5 cups whole grain flour (can swap for all purpose)

• 1 cup large flake oats

• 1/2 cup whole dates, chopped

• 2 medium ripe bananas, mashed

• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

• 1/2 cup canola oil

• 2 eggs

• 1/3 cup plain yogurt

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp salt

• Orange zest + 1-2 tbsps. fresh orange juice

• 1 tsp Vanilla extract

HOW TO MAKE IT

1. Grease a 12 cup muffin tin with oil or butter and preheat oven to 350 F.

2. In a bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together (flour, oats, salt, cinnamon and baking powder) and set aside.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs with a splash of vanilla. Add the sugar, canola oil and yogurt and whisk until combined. Mix in the bananas and incorporate with the wet mixture.

4. Incorporate the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients and blend using a spatula. Add the date, the orange zest and orange juice and stir well until mixture is homogenous.

5. Fill each muffin cup with the muffin batter till about 3/4 full. Bake in the oven for 27-30min, until an inserted toothpick in the centre of the muffins comes out clean and dry. Let cool and and remove from pan. You can store them in an airtight container in a cool and dry place for about 5-7 days.

REcipe tips

1. Worried about wasting your muffin batch? Once completely cooled, simply store them individually in zip-up bags and freeze for up to 3 months. You can defrost as needed by letting them thaw at room temperature or in the microwave.

2. Feel free to swap the dates for any other fruit such as blueberries, sliced strawberries or, for chocolate chips.