Double Chocolate Banana Almond Mini Muffins

I love when my fellow Chefs, health foodies, and plant forward pioneers make some awesome treats to share. Here is one of my faves. The fact that they are mini, helps with the portions sizes. You just have to make sure you put the rest away after 1 or 2! ( maybe )

VEGAN, GLUTEN FREE, DAIRY-FREE

Serves: 24 mini muffins

INGREDIENTS

• Wet Ingredients
  • 3 medium, very ripe bananas
  • ¼ cup melted coconut oil
  • ¼ cup pure maple syrup
  • 1 flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flax + 3 tablespoons water, whisk together, set for 10 mins)   or 1 egg beaten

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients
• 1 cup gluten free oat flour
• ¾ cup almond meal
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Add-ins
• ¼ cup vegan mini chocolate chips
• ¼ cup sliced almonds, chopped
Optional for topping
• 1 tablespoon each: vegan chocolate chips and sliced almonds, chopped

 INSTRUCTIONS
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 24-cup mini muffin pan with mini muffin liners.

• Add peeled bananas to a large mixing bowl. Using a sturdy whisk or fork, mash bananas until smooth. Add coconut oil, maple syrup, flax egg, and vanilla. Whisk until well incorporated.

• Add the dry ingredients: oat flour, almond meal, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk together until just incorporated, making sure no flour patches remain.

• Using a spoon or cookie scoop, drop batter evenly into muffin cups (about 2 tablespoons of batter per muffin). Optional: sprinkle chocolate chips and almonds on top of the muffins.

• Bake for 16-24 minutes. Mine took 19 minutes. Allow to cool on a cooling rack for about 1 hour. Lift out and enjoy!

Vanilla Cake Bites

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups packed pitted medjool dates (measured after pits removed)

• 1 1/4 cups raw walnuts

• 1 cup almond flour (or sub almond meal, but the cake flavor is more pronounced with flour)

• 1/3 cup coconut flour (or sub more almond flour)

• Pinch sea salt

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• Finely shredded unsweetened coconut (optional)

Instructions

1. Add pitted dates to a food processor and mix until small bits remain or a ball forms. Remove from food processor and set aside.

2. To the food processor, add the walnuts, almond flour, coconut flour, and sea salt. Blend until a semi-fine meal. Add dates back in (in bite-sized pieces) as well as the vanilla extract. Pulse until a loose dough forms. Be careful not to over-blend. Make a pliable dough, not a purée.

3. Scoop out 2-Tablespoon amounts using a cookie scooper and roll into balls with hands or release lever on scoop and place directly on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat until all dough is used up.

4. Roll in finely shredded coconut or leave as is.

5. Store in refrigerator or freezer. Will keep in the refrigerator up to 1 week or in the freezer up to 1 month.

Pumpkin Peanut Butter Choc Bites

These little balls are a delicious treat to have on hand. The textures of smooth pumpkin, earthy peanut butter and crunchy chocolate chips make this a winner combo! Great to freeze too!

Ingredients:

• ¾ can of pumpkin puree

• ¾ cup Peanut butter ( or almond)

• 3 Tbsp Maple syrup ( or agave)

• ¼ tsp of cinnamon

• 2 cups of oats/ quick oats

• ½ cup mini vegan chocolate chips

• pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients in a lg bowl and make into small balls.

2. Freeze for 1 hour on a cookie sheet lined w/ parchment paper

3. Transfer into a ziplock back to freezer or keep in fridge.