Of all the ‘vores, I would say I was an omnivore with a slight bias to the carnivore end of the scale.
I’m defiantly not a frugivore.
It’s not that I don't like fruit. I do, and I know all about its nutritional values, yet offer me a fruit salad or a bacon sandwich for breakfast and I’m heading in the porcine direction before you can say bircher muesli!
I do consume some fruit though, but it tends to be accompanied with other ingredients, sweet or savoury.
Eating a single apple or orange could be the most boring thing I ever do but put them in a fruit salad with some grapes, banana, melon, and some berries etc, then I could really enjoy it (and have), assuming there is some single cream to serve with it.
A banana would be a fruit I could eat on its own without falling asleep, but even better if it was turned into a banana muffin.
Banana cake, or loaf, is also pretty good but sometimes a slice (especially if bought in a cafe) can verge on the heavy side, and seems to stay with you for some time, if you know what I mean.
So when your bananas get those unsightly black blotches on them, don't throw them out, because that is the sign they are perfect for these muffins.
They give you all the best that a banana loaf gives you, but in a much lighter package.
And best of all, they are a doddle to make.
INGREDIENTS makes 12 muffins
3 large bananas (or 5/6 small ones) 150g caster sugar 1 large egg 75g melted butter 200g plain flour 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda ½ tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt
Preheat oven to 180℃/160℃ fan
METHOD
Peel and mash the bananas (I squeezed them with my hands which gives the best ratio of pulp and bigger bits), and it feels fantastic! But use a fork if you are squeamish.
Mix them with the egg, sugar and cooled melted butter.
In another bowl, sieve in the plain flour, salt, baking powder and bicarb, then add to the wet banana mixture. Gently fold through until there are no lumps of flour showing.
Spoon into muffin cases placed in a 12 hole tin and bake in the oven for about 20 - 25 minutes until golden and spring back when prodded.
Cool in the tin for ten minutes then remove onto a wire rack to cool some more.
You can sprinkle with icing sugar before serving and try to resist eating more than one. You only have 12 after all!