Sweet Potato Banana Muffins with Yogurt Dip and Fresh Fruit

Ingredients

• 4 Medjool dates, pitted and halved, soaked in 3 tablespoons hot water then blended until smooth to make date syrup

  
• 1 1/3 cups whole wheat flour
• 2/3 cup unbleached bread flour (tipo 00 or tipo 0)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon Ceylon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely grated
• 1 large orange, zested and juiced, zest goes into dry ingredients, juice goes into wet
• 2 overripe bananas, mashed, about 1 cup mashed, brown to black skin for maximum sweetness
• 1/2 cup roasted sweet potato, mashed and cooled, about half a medium sweet potato roasted ahead and cooled
• 2.5 tablespoons date syrup, reserved from the blended dates above, for muffin batter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract, for muffin batter
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted and cooled, 2 parts coconut oil to 1 part olive oil for butter-like flavor
• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/3 cup coconut milk, full fat or lite both work
• 1 tablespoon flaxseed and chia seed blend, such as Sprouts organic flax and chia blend
• 3 tablespoons chopped pecans, toasted in dry skillet
• 3 tablespoons chopped walnuts, toasted in dry skillet
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted in dry skillet with the nuts
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt or unsweetened cashew yogurt, for yogurt dip
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder, preferably plant-based, for yogurt dip, optional
• 1.5 tablespoons date syrup, reserved from blended dates, for yogurt dip
• 0.5 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract, for yogurt dip
• 1 pinch Ceylon cinnamon, for yogurt dip
• 1 pinch fine sea salt, for yogurt dip
• 1 sprig fresh mint, for garnish on yogurt dip
• 2 cups mixed fresh fruit, pineapple chunks, diced cantaloupe, green grapes, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the date syrup first. Place 4 pitted and halved Medjool dates in a small bowl with 3 tablespoons of hot water. Let them soak for 10 minutes, then transfer everything to a blender or small food processor and blend until completely smooth. You should have about 4 tablespoons total. Reserve 2.5 tablespoons for the muffin batter and 1.5 tablespoons for the yogurt dip. Set aside.

   Step 1
2. 2

   Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin with coconut oil or line with muffin liners.

3. 3

   Toast the nuts and coconut. Heat a dry nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped pecans, walnuts, and shredded coconut. Stir frequently for 3 to 4 minutes until golden and fragrant. Watch closely so they do not burn. Remove from heat and spread onto a plate to cool completely.

   Step 3
4. 4

   Mix the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, sift together the whole wheat flour, unbleached bread flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, Ceylon cinnamon, and ground nutmeg. Add the fresh grated ginger and orange zest directly into the dry mixture and stir to combine.

   Step 4
5. 5

   Prepare wet bowl 1 (banana mixture). In a medium bowl, mash the 2 overripe bananas and 1/2 cup of cooled roasted sweet potato together until smooth. Stir in the fresh orange juice, 2.5 tablespoons of date syrup, vanilla bean paste, and flaxseed chia blend. Mix well.

6. 6

   Prepare wet bowl 2 (egg and oil mixture). In a separate smaller bowl, whisk together the egg, 1 1/2 tablespoons of melted and cooled coconut oil, 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil, and 1/3 cup coconut milk.

7. 7

   Combine wet and dry ingredients. Add one-third of the banana mixture to the dry ingredients and fold gently with a wooden spoon or spatula. Add one-third of the egg and oil mixture and fold again. Continue alternating the two wet mixtures in thirds, folding gently each time. Stop the moment no dry flour streaks remain. Do not smooth or beat the batter. Overmixing develops gluten in the wheat and bread flour and makes the muffins dense and chewy.

8. 8

   Fold in the cooled toasted pecans, walnuts, and shredded coconut. Stir just enough to distribute them evenly.

9. 9

   Let the batter rest for 10 minutes at room temperature. This gives the whole wheat flour, flax, and chia time to absorb the moisture and helps prevent a gummy texture.

10. 10

    Scoop the batter evenly into the prepared muffin tin, filling each cup about three-quarters full. Place in the preheated 425 degree F oven for 5 minutes. Without opening the oven door, reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F and continue baking for 14 to 18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. The initial high heat helps the muffins dome and lift before the heavy batter settles.

11. 11

    Remove from the oven and allow muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. They can be served warm or at room temperature.

12. 12

    Make the yogurt dip. In a small bowl, combine 1 cup of plain Greek or cashew yogurt, 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder if using, 1.5 tablespoons of reserved date syrup, vanilla bean paste, a pinch of cinnamon, and a pinch of sea salt. Stir until smooth. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.

13. 13

    To serve, arrange mixed fresh fruit (pineapple, cantaloupe, green grapes, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries) on a plate alongside one or two muffins and a generous spoonful of the yogurt dip in the center.

14. 14

    Garnish yogurt dip with a dash of Ceylon cinnamon, fresh mint sprig and raspberry.

Nutrition Facts

Substitutions & Variations

• →To make these dairy-free, use an unsweetened cashew yogurt or coconut yogurt for the dip instead of Greek yogurt.
• →If you do not have coconut milk, any unsweetened plant-based milk such as oat or almond works in the same amount.
• →For a nut-free version, omit the pecans and walnuts and add an extra 2 tablespoons of hemp hearts and 2 tablespoons of pumpkin seeds for crunch.
• →You can swap the egg for a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed plus 3 tablespoons water, rested 5 minutes) to make these fully plant-based.
• →No sweet potato on hand? An equal amount of canned pumpkin puree works well and keeps the same texture and color.
• →If you only have one type of flour, use all whole wheat pastry flour as the closest substitute. Expect a slightly denser muffin.