anunrefinedvegan

I never did try Ben & Jerry’s Chunky Monkey ice cream (I was heavily addicted to Phish Food, myself), but apparently the inspiration for these muffins is that particular ice cream flavor.  These are delicious: soft, chocolatey and nutty with little bursts of sweet-tart pineapple.  I love the nuttiness that the wheat germ and oat bran impart.  I veganized this recipe, naturally, using a bit of peanut butter (almond butter would work as well) instead of oil, egg replacer instead of eggs and a combination of stevia and maple sugar to lighten the sugar load.

Chunky Monkey Muffins
Makes 1 dozen

2 very ripe bananas, mashed
1 tbsp. egg replacer + 3 tbsp. water (whisk together until foamy then set aside for a minute)
1/2 cup buttermilk (add 1/2 tbsp. lemon juice or apple cider vinegar to 1/2 cup soy milk, let sit to curdle)
1/4 cup chunky natural peanut butter
1/4 cup maple sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
1/4 cup oat or wheat bran
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. stevia powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup vegan semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup pineapple chunks, drained and chopped

Preheat oven to 400F and line 12 muffin tins with paper cups.

In a large bowl, stir together the bananas, egg replacer, buttermilk, peanut butter, maple sugar and vanilla extract until smooth.  Set aside.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the whole wheat pastry flour, wheat germ, wheat or oat bran, baking powder, baking soda, stevia powder, salt and cinnamon.  Add this mixture to the banana mixture and stir to combine.  Stir in the chocolate chips and the pineapple chunks.

Divide the batter between the 12 muffin tins and bake for 25 minutes or until the tops are toasty brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean.  Allow muffins to cool in pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

(This recipe comes from 366 Delicious Ways To Cook Rice, Beans and Grains, by Andrea Chesman.  If it involves rice, beans or grains…it’s in this book.)