Magic Chocolate Monkey Muffins revised

Every now and then it happens. I buy bananas and my husband buys bananas and then there are just too many bananas to eat before they go rogue. And when a good banana goes rogue, there is nothing to be done for it but to make it into something baked and delicious. In this case, I felt a little chocolate was in order. Don't know why. Just did. These little vegan goodies combine the amazing body-fueling properties of hemp hearts, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, and chickpea flour with the pre-biotic goodness and baked good-springiness of tapioca starch. Sweetened with the very overripe bananas and some coconut sugar, these little cuties are a delicious, satisfying treat. We favour krisda chocolate chips which are stevia sweetened for much of our diurnal baking. If you've never used them, check 'em out. They taste pretty darn good. For chocolate chips, that is. They taste nothing like good quality belgian chocolate, but then I've never met a regular chocolate chip that did.

So, if you are looking for a terrific lunch box addition, these little muffins are nut free, dairy free, vegan, gluten-free, and super yummy. Let me know what you think!


Also, huge shout out to Victoria Whole Foods on Gerrard near Coxwell, for they give away their over-ripe unsaleable bananas rather than seeing them go to waste. This episode of yummy yummy in my tummy is partly possible due to their kind sponsorship in the form of mushy brown bananas. xoxo

ingredients:

1/2 cup hemp hearts, finely ground
1/4 cup chia seeds, finely ground
1/2 cup ground sunflower seeds
1/2 cup cacao powder
1 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1 cup chickpea flour

1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground vanilla bean

1 1/2 cups mashed bananas -- approx 4 very ripe
3/4 cup warm water + 4 tbsp coconut oil

1 cup chocolate chips


equipment needed:

1. measuring cups
2. measuring spoons
3. mixing bowl
4. silicone muffin cups or papaer muffin tray liners
5. cookie sheet or muffin tray
6. seed grinder


directions:

1. preheat the oven to 345
2. in a bowl, combine the ground hemp hearts, ground chia seeds, ground sunflower seeds, cacao, tapioca starch, chickpea flour, sea salt, baking soda, cream of tartar and ground vanilla bean. Mix until it is very homogeneous
3. in a separate bowl, mash your bananas
4. in a separate bowl, combine the warm water (not hot) and coconut oil, and let the oil melt
5. add the banana, water and coconut oil to the dry ingredients, and mix well
6. when the batter is beautifully mixed, add in the chocolate chips and mix well
7. scoop the batter into 24 small muffin cups. If you are using silicone, you can bake them standing up on a cookie tray. Or line 24 muffin cups with muffin papers in a muffin baking tray, and divide the batter evenly.
8. bake at 345 for 30 minutes
9. remove from the oven, and allow to cool before removing from the tray or silicone muffin cups