No added sugar banana muffings

 No added sugar banana muffings

from Ellen's kitchen, with thanks to americastestkitchen.com

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 6 large very ripe bananas
• 10 tbs unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups (8 oz) cake flour
• 2.5 tsp baking powder
• 1.25 tsp baking soda
• .5 tsp salt
• 2/3 cups raisins (optional)
• 2/3 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Heat:

• oven to 400 (375 convection) with rack in middle.  Grease muffing pan or 2 mini-muffing pans. 

Toast:

• oats, walnuts, and sunflower seeds in skillet over medium heat until golden and fragrant.  Remove from heat to cool.

Place:

• bananas in microwavable bowl.  Cover and microwave for 5 minutes, until bananas are soft and have released juices.  Transfer bananas to fine-mesh strainer over bowl, and stir occasionally, letting juices drain from bananas, about 15 minutes.  Should have about 3/4 to 1 cup liquid. 

Transfer:

• liquid to medium saucepan and bananas to now empty bowl.  Cook banana liquid over medium-high heat until reduces to 1/3 cup, about 10 minutes.  Add reduced liquid to bananas and mash until mostly smooth.  Whisk in butter, eggs, and vanilla.

In large bowl:

• mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Using rubber spatula, mix in banana mixture until just combined.  Fold in walnuts, oats, and sunflower seeds.  Add raisins and chocolate, if desired (yes!).

Divide:

• batter among prepared muffing cups.  Bake for 15-20 minutes, testing with toothpick for doneness.  Let cool in tin for a few minutes and then remove muffings from tin to cooling rack.