In early September, our dear friends came for a visit and JT and I planned a full schedule of fun activities! We went hiking at a conservation area, saw King Lear in High Park (which turned out to be reimagined from a female perspective, Queen Lear), we traveled to Montreal for a few days with a stop in Kingston to visit the newly refurbished Kingston Penitentiary. The time went quickly and a much-needed fix with special friends. Our days were packed, so I made these Banana Bran Muffins for a breakfast on the morning we went hiking, as we were also having lunch at an adorable little cafe near the conservation area. Scroll down to see a few pics of Kingston Pen.
Banana Bran Muffins with Belgian Milk Chocolate Chunks
Original recipe from Company’s Coming, Muffins and More by Jean Paré.
Makes about 10-12 medium-sized muffins
Please click here to print this recipe.
Ingredients:
- 128 g (1 cup) flour
- 60 g (1 cup) all bran cereal
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips or chunks (I used Belgian milk chocolate chunks)
- 60 g (1/4 cup) coconut oil
- 75 g (1/2 cup) coconut sugar
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 65 mL (1/4 cup) sour milk (milk with 1/4 tsp lemon juice)
- 250 mL (3 medium or 1 cup) bananas, mashed
Directions:
- Pre-heat the oven to 400° F (200° C). Prepare muffin pans by spraying with non-stick spray.
- Combine flour, bran, baking powder and soda and salt in a bowl and mix.
- Cream coconut oil and sugar with 1 egg until well blended and add the other egg and beat well. Combine the soured milk and mashed bananas and mix well.
- Pour into the dry mixture and mix well. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Pour batter into prepared muffin cups to about 3/4 full.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.
- Cool slightly and serve.
- These muffins are not nearly as sweet using coconut sugar as using regular white sugar.
Looks like a unique tour. The wooden dish holding your delicious muffins is wonderful.
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Thanks Ruth, the first bowl was something I picked up im a small Berber village when we were in Morocco.
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These muffins sound so delicious! Just the thing I’d need if I were going to visit a prison. (Actually, I’d be afraid it was some kind of intervention and my friends were going to suprise leave me there.)
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Thanks Jeff. Those are some special friends you must have! It’s the same vintage Alcatraz, so I’m pretty sure I would not want to be there at night!
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Beautiful muffins! And with all bran cereals they must have this low-guilt factor I love 😉
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Ah yes, I just adore the low-guilt factor!
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My daughter loves bran muffins and I need to add some banana to my next batch. They sound perfect for guests—it looks like you had great adventures!!
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I love them too Liz, the banana and Belgian chocolate added a lovely flavour combo to the bran muffins.
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Now that is a way more interesting bran muffin than the ones I’ve eaten. 😀
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Thank you kindly Karen. I read recently that 70% cocoa chocolate helps moderate blood pressure too!
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Good muffins! Love a good muffin recipe, and this is a dandy. Fun post, too — love all the pictures. Looks like a fun time. 🙂
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Thanks John, it was a fun time indeed.
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You guys look like you had a lot of fun! These muffins were the perfect choice for your outing, and healthy too!
xx
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Hi Dana, yes indeed, it was a blast. Of course, anything we do with this couple is super fun!
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Eva, you’ve done it. You’ve actually made a recipe with All Bran sound appealing. The first time I tried All Bran I was a aghast at how much it tasted like cardboard. But mixing it with Belgian chocolate chunks and banana would totally fix that.
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I had to chuckle, Lorraine, I am one of those oddballs that love all bran! I added the banana and chocolate to appease JT!
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I’ll admit that I’d never heard of Kingston Penitentiary so I Googled it. Quite an interesting history to the place. I’m sure that back in the day these muffins would have been much appreciated. They might even have been able to stave off one of those riots. GREG
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That is very kind of you to say, Greg. The prison was about the same era as Alcatraz, quite remarkable for the day. In fact, I’m rather surprised that Kingston Pen only closed its doors a few years ago! The muffins would have been welcomed for sure!
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These muffins are not only delicious, also healthy, Eva. They make a great breakfast on the go or an after school snack.
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Hi Angie, thank you for your kind words, they weres quite satisfying and perfect for freezing too.
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