Banana Walnut Muffins #MuffinMonday

With apologies to David Attenborough and the BBC Natural History Unit. 

(Cue hushed voice)  If we observe closely, we can witness a natural phenomenon of the expat life.  Preparations for the Great Expat Migration, likened only to the circular migration of the wildebeests through the Serengeti for sheer volume of participants, begin in March or April with bookings on public conveyances.   Historically, this meant ships, but now, more likely, airplanes.  In the Northern Hemisphere the actual migration begins in early June, as formal institutes of learning close for an extended period through the heat of the summer months. 

We can observe the migrants in various states of readiness.  The elder females clear out stockpiles of clothing that no longer fit their young and make donations to the local community.  Farewell rituals are observed with parting gifts and potlucks.  Graduates are feted.  Tears are shed and bags, one inside another, are packed with skeleton wardrobes:  a few pairs of shorts, shirts and underwear, plus a possible indigenous hostess gift or two, because supplies can and will be purchased along the circular migratory path.  

Migrants en route are readily apparent by the almost complete lack of male adults on the initial leg of the journey, as mothers and their young board airplanes to reconnect with their original countrymen and home cultures for the duration of the summer season.  We follow the migratory path for the next two months as these wanderers traverse borders, staying a few days or a few weeks at a time with obliging relations and friends, gorging on favorite foods and imbibing excessive libations of a celebratory nature, and, most essentially, stocking up on necessary supplies for the return journey and the nine months before the next migration.  

Old friendships are reaffirmed and local dialects are used again.  Bewildered offspring are immersed in the culture of their parents’ heritage, which often includes being obliged to kiss aged relations in the matriarchal or patriarchal line and permit the pinching of young cheeks.  These family rituals are an attempt to transmit family values, history and culture from one generation to the next.  Male adult members often join the migration at some point, upon which the ritual or tradition called Family Holiday (BritE) or Family Vacation (AmE) ensues.  This is met by much jubilance among the youngsters and relief from the older females.  Varying from family to family, seasonal migration traditions may also include family reunions, with inexplicable matching t-shirts for all participants, adults and children alike. (Which would make a whole 'nother post.)

St. George's Island, Florida, circa 2002

First cousins

Then finally, with suitcases at capacity and appetites sated, more tears are shed and farewells are exchanged as our travelers complete the migratory circle, returning to their expat homes just in time for the start of the new school year.  

According to a United Nations projection, there might well be over 200 million expats in this big world, depending on your exact definition of expat.  How many are in the migration circle, even as I type?  Are you?  Leave me a comment!  I finished my circle early this year and Dubai is feeling pretty empty. 

But enough fun with social anthropology.  Since it’s Monday, you know I’ve got a muffin for you.  

Ingredients

2 cups or 250g flour

2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

5oz or 140g light brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

1/3 cup or 80ml canola

1/2 cup or 120ml milk

2 large, ripe bananas

About 3/4 cup or 75g walnuts

12 walnut halves and powdered sugar (optional for decorating)

Method

Preheat your oven to 375F° or 190°C and prepare your 12-cup muffin pan by greasing or lining with paper muffin cups. 

In a large bowl mix together your flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and brown sugar.  

In a smaller bowl, whisk your milk, canola oil and eggs, along with the two ripe bananas.  

Chop your walnuts.  

Pour your wet ingredients into your dry ingredients and stir until just combined.  

Now fold in the chopped nuts. 

Evenly distribute the batter among the muffin cups.  

Top with one walnut half per muffin, if desired. 

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes.  Remove the muffins from the muffin pan and finish cooling on a rack.  

Sprinkle with a little powdered sugar – optional, but look how pretty! 

Enjoy! 

Banana Honey Muffins #MuffinMonday

We are coming up on six months in the desert and it occurred to me that I haven’t really shared that much about life here.   At least not like I feel I did when we were in Cairo.  I guess it is that Dubai is such a modern city that it doesn’t feel that different in many ways, from other places we have lived.   My neighborhood is surrounded by vast desert wasteland with little in the way of plants besides natural scrub.

But, inside the walls of this gated community, we enjoy green lawns and flowering plants in abundance.

The view from my kitchen window.

A different angle of the backyard.

Supermarkets have everything we need, including bacon and cheese, and even some things we just want like fresh flowers, Wilton baking supplies and Jif peanut butter.   I know, I know, some of you are saying that bacon and cheese are “wants” not “needs” but then you must not know me very well yet.  :)  After Cairo with its limited supply of green leafy vegetables, I am working on not getting spoiled by choice and trying to choose fresh foods that haven’t been flown in from the other side of the world with a long carbon footprint to match.

Overwhelmed for choice.

Every item is labeled with the country of its provenance, which is very helpful.

One thing I did get in Egypt and for which I am very grateful, were two bottles of wonderful honey, which were a gift from the Orthodox priests we visited on a charity trip.  I haven’t found anything to match it here yet.   It’s lovely runny stuff, produced by religious bees.  (Just kidding.)  But it does make delicious muffins.   I reminisce with gratitude every time I use it.

Ingredients
Muffins:
2 cups or 250g flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup or 115g sugar
2 large bananas (ripe)
2 eggs
1/4 cup or 60ml canola or other light oil
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup or 120ml milk

Topping:
2 tablespoons or 30g butter (softened)
1/4 cup or 25g oats
1 pinch salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons honey

Method
Preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C and prepare your 12-cup muffin tin by greasing it or lining it with paper muffin cups.

Combine your flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and sugar in a large mixing bowl.

In another small bowl, mashed your ripe bananas with a fork.

Then whisk together your bananas, eggs, canola oil, honey and milk.

In a separate small bowl, mix together your first four topping ingredients until smooth.  Add in the honey and stir well.

Pour your egg/milk mixture into your dry ingredients and stir until just mixed.

Divide the muffin batter between the muffin cups.

Top each cup of batter with a scoop of the topping and spread it out just a little with your spoon.

Bake in your preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  The topping will form a natural slightly crunchy glaze on each muffin.

Allow to cool for a few minutes in the pan and then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Enjoy!

Banana Honey Bran Muffins #MuffinMonday

These lovely banana honey bran muffins, made with mashed bananas and sweetened banana chips, are further sweetened with honey and dark brown sugar.

In honor of the Academy Awards last night, I’d like to nominate this muffin for Best Muffin in a Supporting Role.  It’s got your fiber in the form of bran flake cereal as well as honey and egg and banana for your essential nutrients and protein.  (Did you know that honey can stop the growth of cancer?!  Read it in my local paper just this morning!)  And for a little crunch and extra banana flavor:  sweetened banana chips.  Truth be told, these are probably the healthiest muffins I’ve ever made.  (Yeah, yeah.  I know that isn’t saying much, coming from the woman who puts candy bars and cookies in muffins.)  But they are also tasty.

Ingredients
1 1/2 oz or 1 cup or 43g bran flake cereal
1/4 cup or 60ml cream
1/4 cup or 60ml milk
1 1/2 cups or 190g flour
1/4 cup firmly packed or 50g dark brown sugar
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup  or 60ml canola oil
1 large ripe banana
4 tablespoons honey
1 egg
1 cup or 100g sweetened banana chips

Method
Preheat your oven to 375°F or 190°C and prepare your 12-cup muffin pan by inserting paper liners or spraying with a non-stick spray.

Soak your bran flakes in the cream and milk and set aside.  (If you are serious about the health thing, by all means use all milk, even low fat.)

Into a large mixing bowl, measure your flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt.   Give it a good stir.

In a small mixing bowl, mash your banana with a fork and then add in the oil, honey and the egg.  Whisk well.

Use a sharp knife to chop the banana chips into smaller pieces and set aside about one quarter (eyeball it, no need to measure) for topping.

Add your soaked bran flakes (and any milk/cream from that bowl) into the egg mixture and stir well.

Fold the wet ingredients into the dry, stopping before they are completely mixed.  There will still be some flour visible.

Add in the bigger pile of chopped banana chips and fold some more.

Divide your batter between the prepared muffin cups.  Sprinkle the tops with the remaining banana chips.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden.  Meanwhile practice your Best Supporting Muffin acceptance/thank you speech.  Don’t forget to thank your parents for raising you right.

Remove from the oven and cool for a few minutes in the pan.  Remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Enjoy!