Banana and Date Muffins

Banana and Date Muffins

I think I’ve just discovered the why people enjoy antique shops and opp shops.  They really can be fun!  My 3 year old daughter and I ventured out to the ultimate in antique shopping at our nearby Mill Markets and we were lost in world of years gone by obliviously for many hours.  We made party plans for tea parties on old phones (phones that I clearly remember), we sat in all sorts of chairs next to teddy bears, explored a variety of gadgets and could only imagine what they were used for, read chapters of well read books and most importantly discussed which queens had eaten from which glorious plates.

And that was my purpose.. to find a plate.  A pretty plate, most likely a cake plate but really just something that called out to me to be taken home and adorned with baked delights.  And after many hours (helped out by a cup of tea and a strawberry milkshake) that’s just what we found...

My first Antique plate

And what did this plate ask to first wear in its new home?  My new favourite Banana and Date  Muffins.  Yum!  Can you smell them, fresh from the oven?  And even the next day (if there’s any left) warmed for a few seconds in the microwave and tasting like little banana and date puddings?  And did I mention they’re actually way better for you than any store bought muffin with very little sugar (I’ve even used 30g which is sweet enough) but loads of taste?

Banana and Date Muffins on my new plate!

Actually I think I can hear one calling me now....

Banana and Date Muffins

2 large bananas (the riper the better)
100g pitted dates
70g grapeseed oil
2 free range eggs
50g rapadura or raw sugar
1 tbls honey
80g plain yoghurt
120g milk
150g SR flour
150g wholemeal flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp cinnamon

•  Preheat oven to 180° and grease muffin trays (I like to use a mini tray of 24 for the kids and a guilt free I plus 4 large ones visitors)
• Add dates and banana to Thermomix bowl and chop for 10 seconds on speed 6
• Add oil, eggs, sugar, honey, milk and yoghurt and mix for 20 seconds on speed 4
• Add flours, baking powder and cinnamon and blend for a further 10 seconds on speed 4
• Pour into muffin trays and bake for 15 minutes for small or 20 minutes for large muffins or until they spring back when pressed

I'm sure this could be easily made in your chosen mixer other than a Thermomix with the wet ingredients blended then the dry mixed ingredients added.

And of course, enjoy!

Carrot, Date and Pecan Cake

Purple Carrots

Last weekend we had the pleasure of venturing to the nearby Moriac Makersand Growers market.  There’s something about this market that makes it just that little bit different.  It’s only held every three months and there’s a cute yet quirky feel to it.  There’s local produce including cheeses, olives, bread, and Summer’s favourite icecream.  Then there’s lovely handmade bits and pieces including gorgeous handmade hair clips and earrings which Summer, our friend Lauren and I treated ourselves to.

Purple Carrot, Date and Pecan Cake

Although it was a lovely sunny day it was a bit of a mud pit but none the less we enjoyed a shared lunch with live music and the kids had fun on the playground nearby.  My most exciting purchase was a bag full of fresh, local, organic vegies.  I could have easily bought 2 bags full but I tried to resist.  Lauren even found kohl rabi which she bought one for her dad for father’s day.  How gorgeous is that!

 

One of our favourites was a bunch of multi coloured carrots which we’ve really enjoyed all week.  The last to be consumed was some purple carrots, so today came the idea of making a carrot cake – with purple carrots!  The recipe is actually based around the Zucchini cake in the “A Taste of Vegetarian” Thermomix cookbook but using carrots, much less sugar, pecans instead of walnuts, and a little honey. Yum!

 


Chopped Pecans, Dates and Purple Carrots


Carrot, Date and Pecan Cake
70g pecans
100g dates
250g carrots (any colour roughly chopped)
100g sultanas
2 free range eggs
90g grapeseed oil
60g raw or rapadura sugar
80g honey
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
210g self raising flour

• Pre heat oven to 180° and lightly grease a round cake tin (or loaf pan)
• Place pecans in Thermomix bowl and chop for 10 seconds speed 7 then set aside
• Place dates in Thermomix bowl and chop for 12 seconds speed 6 and add to pecans
• Place roughly chopped carrots in Thermomix bowl and chop for 5 seconds speed 5 and add to pecans and dates
• Place eggs, oil, sugar, honey, cinnamon, salt and sultanas in Thermomix bowl and mix for 10 seconds speed 4
• Add flour and bowl of pecans, dates and carrots and mix for 25 seconds speed 4
• Pour into cake pan and bake for 45 minutes or until inserted skewer comes out clean 

Lovely served with a dollop of Greek yoghurt

Enjoy!

Orange, Carrot and Date Loaf

Well it’s the first day of spring and we’ve had an amazing day out in the garden.  I tackled the winter weeds especially from the veggie garden.  I then started preparing the soil for new veggie planting now that the masses of wild rocket and rhubarb are coming to an end.  The kids had a great day too and while Summer would plant a new flower in her fairy garden, little Finn would come along and pull them out.  And veggie daddy is on his latest venture.... planning a rather large skateboard ramp in the backyard... stay tuned for that one...

Orange, Carrot and Date Loaf
 

The kids are going crazy about oranges at the moment.  Even veggie daddy who says he wasn’t a fan of oranges on the sporting field as a kid is devouring them.  So I’m buying them by the bag full and enjoying them any way possible.  I also have a large box of fresh dates I bought in bulk.

Orange zest and carrots in the Thermomix

I found this recipe on another great blog called Surprisingly Domestic and tweaked it a little further.  I mainly reduced the sugar as I found the dates add plenty of sweetness and I wanted to let my one year old enjoy it. It’s quite a healthy loaf and the carrots and dates add plenty of flavour and fibre.  It tastes just like spring time and while it’s devine still warm from the oven (we had it for afternoon tea in the garden), it’s also great served with a little yoghurt the next day.

 
Orange, Carrot and Date Loaf

1 orange
100g dates
280g carrots
3 eggs
60g grapeseed oil
130g yoghurt
100g wholemeal flour
200g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
80g raw sugar
1 tsp cinnamon 

• Preheat oven to 180°
• Line a loaf tin with baking paper
• Remove peel from orange, place in Thermomix and zest 10 seconds speed 9
• Add carrots and grate 5 seconds speed 5 then set aside
• Chop dates 5 seconds speed 5 then set aside
• Remove pith from orange and quarter, place in Thermomix and juice 20 seconds speed 8
• Add eggs and mix 5 seconds speed 5
• Add dry ingredients and mix 20 seconds speed 4
• Add orange zest, carrots and dates and mix 20 seconds speed 4 on Reverse 
• Pour into loaf tin and bake 180° for 50 minutes
• Cool 10 minutes in tin before turning out
• This is a very moist cake so skewer may not come out completely dry

Best served warm or later with yoghurt

Enjoy!