Salba Banana Muffins

Yield: 12

These whole-grain muffins are lower in fat than many muffin recipes, and also have the nutritional powerhouse of Salba seed added to the mix. Delicious and very nutritious. Recipe by Dreena Burton.

Ingredients:

Salba Banana Muffins

2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
1/3 cup ground Salba seed (see note)
1/4 cup unrefined sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup pureed banana (see note)
1 cup vanilla (or plain) soy milk
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 tbsp organic canola oil

Directions:

Salba Banana Muffins

Preheat oven to 375°F (176°C).
In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients, sifting in the baking powder and baking soda. Stir through until well combined.
In another bowl, combine the pureed bananas, milk, maple syrup, vanilla, and oil.
Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture, and gently fold and mix through, until combined. Scoop mixture into a muffin pan lined with cupcake liners.
Bake for 23-25 minutes (less time for smaller muffins, longer for larger), until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Note: Salba is a very tiny seed that is reported to have the richest and most stable source of omega 3's, containing more than flax seed. Salba is also high in protein, containing all essential amino acids, is rich in calcium, iron, and vitamins A, C, and folate, is high in antioxidants and is also an excellent source of fibre. For more information about Salba, visit www.sourcesalba.com. In this recipe, I use the ground form of Salba seed. Both whole and ground salba can be purchased in most health food stores.
Note: Use an immersion blender to quickly puree overripe bananas. For the 1 cup yield, use about 2 ½ medium (or 2 quite large) bananas. Using a large cup and immersion blender, puree until smooth. You can also mash the bananas if you don't have an immersion blender, though the consistency will not be as smooth.
Note: If you like, add about 1/3 cup chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts to these muffins, or dark chocolate chips!