Banana Coffee Cake Muffins (Vegan)

Finding yummy "vegan" recipes around the holidays challenging, but worth it! With Christmas coming up, the Orthodox Churches uses the 40 days before Christmas to inspire Christians to reflect on our lives and focus on God. To accomplish this, The Church encourages a period of fasting from meat, fish, and dairy so we can control our passions and grow closer to God. In other words, we take up a sort of "vegan" diet.

I've had my fair share of failed vegan muffin recipes, but this one is a huge hit! Everyone I shared them with loved them! No one can tell that these muffins are vegan with their rich flavor and fluffy texture, which makes for a great dietary sensitive party recipe. They're a healthy alternative that makes for a great breakfast or snack. I hope you give them a try!

Ingredients for batter:

• 3 mashed ripe bananas
• 1/4 cup oil or margarine
• 1 cup raw sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Topping:

• 4 tbsp maple syrup (for topping)
• 2 tbsp raw sugar (for topping)
• 4 tbsp chopped walnuts

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 360 degrees Fahrenheit. Add muffin tins to your muffin tray.
2. Mix the dry ingredients first (flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, walnuts).
3. Mix wet ingredients in separate bowl (bananas, oil, sugar).
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients in small portions and mix. 
5. Using an ice cream scoop, place a dollop of batter into each of the muffin trays.
6. Drizzle maple syrup, raw sugar and walnuts over each muffin.
7. Bake in the oven for 15-25 min or until the batter doesn't stick to a toothpick.
8. Cool on a baking rack.

*To store, place muffins in an airtight container at room temperature.
**You can pop the stored muffins in the microwave for 20 seconds before eating to get them warm and fluffy again (I like adding a bit of butter or margarine to the muffins after warming them up for an extra scrumptious treat).