Banana-Date Muffins

These are some of the best muffins I have made in a while!  They are featured in Gwyneth Paltrow's book It's All Good.  These muffins are great for breakfast or a snack.  They contain a G-BOMB food - pumpkin seeds - (my kids are really into all meals having at least one G-BOMB).  Oh and my kids and husband thought they were delicious which means they are a keeper!

2 cups flour (I used a combination of oat & whole wheat pastry flour.  You can also use gluten-free flour.)

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

A pinch of sea salt

2 overripe bananas, mashed

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (I used coconut oil.)

2/3 cup good-quality maple syrup (I used a little less than this.)

2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 pitted and chopped cup dried dates (about 6 large dates) (I used chopped dates coated in flour you find at Whole Foods.)

1/4 cup roughly chopped pumpkin seeds, plus 3 tablespoons for the tops of the muffins

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners.  I use silicon muffin tins which don't need liners.

Whisk together the 2 cups of flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the bananas, oil, maple syrup, almond milk, and vanilla.  Thoroughly combine the dry and wet ingredients.  Toss the dates and pumpkin seeds with a little flour before folding them into the mixture to keep them from sinking to the bottom.  Divide the batter among the muffin cups and sprinkle each muffin with a pinch of the extra pumpkin seeds.

Bake until the muffins are browned and a toothpick comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.

enjoy!

leanne