Over-ripe bananas were taking over my house last week – what you would you do, amiright?  We (me and my kids asking if they can eat) already made and devoured Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Squares so it was time to move on.  But before I give you the recipe, it’s time for a little “What I Ate Wednesday” or in this case, last Saturday, the day these fabulous little healthy muffins were born.
Thanks for the link-up party, Jen!!Â
Let’s start with breakfast. Â Early in the morning I ran 5 miles, came back, did some yoga and drank water before making this:
It’s Aidell’s spicy Andouille sausage fried in bacon fat (made bacon for kids and husband) with kale, a few leftover plantains (kids got priority!) 3 eggs that came out really pretty if I do say, all topped with green onions. Â I’ve been loving green onions all over my eggs lately. Â So delicious.
Now that I’m looking at my pictures I’m seeing Aidell’s sausage is featured quite a bit! Â I like this particular brand, both for the ingredients and the flavor. Â Plus they seem bigger than other pre-cooked sausages to me. Â Just saying.
Lunch was Aidell’s chicken apple sausage sauteed with zucchini in more bacon fat and seasoned with salt and pepper. Â I paired this with an avocado and put everything over baby spinach in a bowl, before drizzling with olive oil and seasoning with a bit more salt.
We were out for a few hours in the afternoon, so I had this for a snack around 3:30 I think. Â Honestly I’m getting a little tired of larabars and only carry them in my bag now as an emergency snack. Â I can’t entirely say this was an emergency, but, I ate it anyway. Â It was fine.
And now the moment! Â The baking happened around 4pm when we got home. Â These were really quick and easy to make!
Okay but for now you just see the batter, which I of course tested out before putting in the oven. Â Wait until I finish dinner to get your dessert.
Dinner was a taco salad made with chipotle, garlic and onion seasoned ground bison, tomatoes, avocado, and homemade plantain chips. Â The homemade plantain chips make this meal, and any meal they come in contact with in my opinion. Â They are out of this world. Â Yes, a project, but really worth it. Â Try ’em!
My dessert after the kids went to bed was my Vanilla Honey Hot Chocolate plus one of these Paleo chocolate banana muffins. Â Yes, now for the recipe!
Rich Chocolate Banana Cranberry Muffins
Ingredients
- 3 over-ripe bananas mashed
- 2 tbsp coconut oil melted
- 2 eggs
- 2 tbsp raw honey
- 1/4 cup full fat coconut milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 CUP coconut flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- pinch salt
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup dairy free chocolate chips *optional
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350. Prep a 12 cup muffin tin by greasing the cups with coconut oil or butter.
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In a large bowl, cream together the bananas, eggs, coconut oil, coconut milk, honey, and vanilla with a hand mixer, until smooth.
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Combine the dry ingredients in a small bowl, and then slowly stir in the dry mixture until it fully combines and is smooth.
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Finally, stir in the dried cranberries and chocolate chips if you're using them.
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Fill the muffin cups with the muffin batter about 2/3 full, and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until just set.
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Let sit for a minute before removing muffins to a wire rack to fully cool.
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Enjoy!
I’ve definitely been a little into chocolate lately.  I think the holidays and winter lend to that feeling of wanting chocolate.  Definitely check in on Friday for a super rich, chocolate recipe that you’ll never guess is Paleo.  But for now, I’ll leave you with the muffins 🙂
Happy New Year everyone!!
Looks great! I love when I read a new recipe and realize I already have all the ingredients on hand. Can’t wait to try these out! I just need to wait for my bananas to ripen (if they last that long…)
That’s always my problem, we usually eat them too quickly 🙂
Yum yum yum! I love chocolate and a chance to make healthy chocolate stuff is something I can’t pass up! Thanks for the Yummy goodness!
I agree healthy chocolate stuff is hard to resist!
I still have those overripe bananas on my counter. Ugh! Its like – do I bake or do I freeze? I am excited that is recipe is nut free. I can’t use almond meal so coconut instead excites me.
I don’t like using almond flour all the time, I’m not allergic but it just seems like overload so I like to mix it up 🙂 Have a great NYE!
Oooh yummy! Jenn changed her button too! I like it 🙂 These muffins sound delicious, and we have a nice stack of bananas in our house….very green and crunchy right now, yuck…..may have to hide them hahha! Have a wonderful NYE friend!
Sometimes it feels like our bananas take forever to ripen and other times we have way too many ripe ones! Two banana recipes in a row for me came out of our huge batch, not sure when that’ll happen ever again 🙂 Thanks, and same to you Tina!
Taco salad sounds delicious! I need to make that. And I seriously love muffins, but The holidays had me eating way to many treats. I need to get off them again. I feel so much better when I’m not eating sugar.
I do love to have a taco salad once a week 🙂 And I hear you on the treats. I’ve been making a bunch this holiday season and even though they’re all paleo I feel the sugar a little!
Lovin’ the banana chocolate cranberry combo!
Plus all those plantains! You KNOW how to EAT! 😉
Plantains! I often wonder how I lived so long without knowing they existed 🙂 And I love that my kids think they’re a mainstream food!
I love Aidells sausages. Such great flavors! There was another brand that I used to love back in VA, but now I’m forgetting the name! You know I love any excuse to bring chocolate and cranberry together. THose are some great New Years muffins! Happy New Year!
Happy New Year to you too! We have one local store with a big pre-cooked sausage selection but I still go back to Aidells. Love those cranberries, and I’ve definitely been digging chocolate in a big way lately 🙂
The muffins sound great, and I think I actually have everything at hoe to make them (of course, we are out of town now so doesn’t do me any good right this moment 😉 ).
Haha! Pretty basic ingredients though so you can make them any time 🙂 Enjoy your NYE!
I love those sausages. They have such great flavors. I am seeing more and more recipes calling for coconut oil. I’m thinking I’m going to have to get some!
Coconut oil is great for cooking and baking. Definitely try it!
Everything looks so yummy! I’m going to have to make those muffins!
Thank you! I hope you make them and enjoy!!
those muffins look extremely tasty! love the combo of chocolate, cranberries and banana! yum!
Thanks! I hope you try them 🙂
No joke, you always leave me craving eggs and sausages every NIGHT because you post on instagram just when I go to sleep! All our sausages here in Australia re only like 80% meat- There are no grain free ones! This makes the intentions to move to America this year even more appealing lol!
Ha ha sometimes I forget the time difference, that is too funny 🙂 that is sad that you have to miss out on good sausage though. I’ve made my own pork breakfast and chicken apple patties though that were good though, but haven’t done links.
Happy 2015, Michele! hope you and your fam had a fabulous NYE, I know you had delicious food since everything you post makes me hungry:D
The muffins look so amazing! and the best thing is that i can actually make them right now, we have all the stuff! except eggs, but i read that i can make a ‘chia’ egg so i will do that since i don’t feel like shopping lol. Baking has been fun lately – our new fun game is to see what we can bake by only using a blender. I know it sounds weird, but we have weird little challenges we like to impose on ourselves. I will break out a bowl for these muffins though… hahha!
Happy Friday, yay!
Interesting on that chia egg! I’m not familiar with chia at all although I know it was a craze for a while. I like your fun cooking challenges 🙂
I am with ya all the way on being into chocolatey things lately! I am blaming Christmas and holiday season all the way 🙂
I think you’re completely right! I might need a little break from all the chocolate 🙂