Banana Flaxseed Muffins with Cinnamon Pecan Topping

I had a ton of frozen bananas that needed to depart my freezer. I wanted to find a healthy muffin choice and did some searching.  This delicious healthy muffin will keep you and your family happy!  The crunchy pecan topping is a perfect match for the moist banana muffin.  You can easily double this recipe, as our family gobbled these up in a few days!  The muffins wrapped well in plastic wrap at room temperature up to four days. 

I put links to the gluten and flaxseed ingrediants which you can find in many grocery or health food stores.  The gluten helps the texture of the muffins – it’s a secret some bakeries use!  You can make this recipe without both of those ingrediants as well.  However, if you omit the flaxseed – just substitute that with 1/4 cup whole wheat flour.

Banana Flaxseed Muffins with Cinnamon Pecan Topping

Ingredients

Makes 12 muffins

• 1 large egg, plus 1 large egg white
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup light-brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup mashed very ripe bananas (about 3 medium bananas)
• 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp Vital Wheat Gluten
• 1/4 cup ground golden flaxseed (from about 2 tablespoons whole)
• 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
•  

Topping:

• 1/2 cup walnuts pecans coarsely chopped
• ¼ cup light brown sugar
• ¼ cup oats (quick or regular)
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tin with paper baking cups and set aside.
2. Put egg and egg white in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and mix on medium-low speed until well combined, about 2 minutes.
3. Add melted butter, sugar, vanilla, and bananas, and mix until combined.
4. Add the remaining dry ingredients, and mix on low speed until well incorporated, about 10 seconds.
5. In a separate bowl mix together the topping ingredients. 
6. Pour batter into prepared muffin tins and spoon topping on muffins.
7.  Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
8.  Let cool in pan on a wire rack.

Adapted from From Martha Stewart Living, April 2004 http://www.wholeliving.com/recipe/banana-bread-with-walnuts-and-flaxseed

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