Recipe: Buckwheat Banana Muffins

I mentioned in our last Recent Things post that I always look forward to seeing spotty brown bananas in the fruit bowl. This weekend, however, I realised that it's not just me - it's the entire SIL family. 

Usually when our bananas start to take on a leopard-esque appearance, the hinting starts.... 

• Hey Kristy, I won't eat those bananas because you'll probably want to use them to make something right?
• Kristy, those bananas are getting very brown - don't you think you should do something with them?
• You know what I love, those banana muffins you made last time... oh they were really good.... we should make them again soon. 
• There's nothing better than fresh banana bread, right Kristy?
• Do you have the recipe for those banana muffins you made that time? They were really reaaaaaaaaaaallly good. 

It's not just me. The entire SIL Family are banana baked good obsessed - and I can't really blame them. Whilst I do have a couple of favourite recipes, I do love to experiment and these buckwheat banana muffins were one of those very experiments. 

An experiment which created our family's new favourite banana muffin recipe!

Even though I'm the only one in the family who can't eat gluten, we usually always have gluten free baked goods in the house and no one knows the difference. One of the things that's most important for me when creating gluten free recipes for SIL is that they taste good - "normal" even - and my family are the perfect critics. 

I love creating healthy, allergy friendly recipes that don't feel like you're eating "special food" or leave you feel like you're getting left out. They have to taste amazing, look good and be easy to make. 

Even if you can eat gluten, the buckwheat in these muffins gives them a delicious flavour and together with the oats they're light, fluffy and have a little bit of a nutty flavour too! 

But let's get onto the recipe! >> 

Buckwheat Banana Muffins makes 12-14 large muffins, 28 mini muffins

low fat, low sugar, gluten free, sugar free option**

1/4 cup (50g) cane sugar/brown sugar *see notes

3 1/2 tbsp (50g) butter, softened 

2 large eggs 

3 large (300g = 1 1/3 cup mashed) bananas 

1/2 cup (120g) greek yogurt 

2 tsp vanilla extract 

1 cup (120g) buckwheat flour 

1 cup (110g) oat flour 

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda 

Pinch of salt 

• Preheat your oven to 180°C/355°F
• Grease and/or line mini or regular muffin tins or a medium (9x5") loaf tin. 
• With a mixer, cream together your butter and sugar until light and fluffy. 
• Add in your eggs, banana, yogurt and vanilla and mix until combined - scraping the sides of the bowls to ensure everything is mixed together. 
• Add in your flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix until just combined. 
• Pour your mixture into your prepared muffin tins and place into your preheated oven. 
• For mini muffins: Bake for 10-15 minutes or until cooked through
• For larger muffins: Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through
• For a loaf: Bake for 1 hour or until cooked through

Notes:

*If you like things sweeter use between 1/3 cup-1/2 cup of sugar. 

**For a sugar free version, use honey or coconut sugar instead of sugar. If using honey, you'll want to cream your butter first and then add in your honey. 

But tell me, what's your favourite type of muffin?

And what's one baked good your entire family love?