This post originally appeared on Spoon with Me.
Have you ever thought about what banana bread and blueberry muffin’s love child would taste like?
Yeah, me too.
This new love connection has caused quite the stir. Mac and cheese are in the corner burning with envy. Peanut butter and jelly viciously gossip over coffee. Eggs and bacon get misty eyed as they reminisce about the beginnings of their long-lasting union. In the meantime, banana bread and blueberry muffin have boarded the love boat, and are slow dancing in the moonlight to “Lady in Red.”
MFEO: Made for each other.
More miraculous than the fully blossomed love affair, is the fact that these two managed to make things work without the normal requirements of most steamy oven romances. No wheat; wait, wait! Buckwheat doesn’t actually contain wheat? Nope. It’s a seed that comes from a plant similar to rhubarb and has much more protein than processed wheat flour. No egg? Enter my new favorite flax “eggs”, which work perfectly in quick-bread substitutions.
Even more miraculous still, is that with all the seemingly lacking ingredients, this blueberry-banana snuggle-fest tastes even better than the original. Moist and cinnamon-y, laced with perfectly over-ripe banana and juicy bursts of blueberry.
Put this in your breakfast, brunch, and healthy indulgence arsenal. Or, make them into muffins and bring the little lovebirds to work. Your coworkers will appreciate a healthier treat option on the staff breakfast table.
Sigh… Everyone loves a good love story.
Blueberry Buckwheat Banana Bread
Makes 1 loaf or 8-10 muffins
INGREDIENTS
4 overripe bananas
⅓ cup vegan butter, melted and cooled slightly, plus more for greasing
1 tbsp ground flax seeds
½ cup plus 1 tbsp coconut sugar
¼ cup applesauce
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
pinch of ground cloves
1 ½ cups buckwheat flour
1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease the loaf pan or muffin tins with oil.
Make the flax egg: combine the ground flax with 2 ½ tablespoons water in a small bowl. Set aside for five minutes to allow it to gel.
In a large mixing bowl, mash the bananas with a fork, leaving some texture. Add the melted butter, flax “egg,” coconut sugar, applesauce, vanilla, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Stir well to combine. Add the buckwheat flour and stir until just incorporated. Fold in the blueberries.
Pour the batter into the loaf pan or into muffin tins until ¾ full. Bake 50-55 minutes for a loaf, 20-25 minutes for muffins, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for 20 minutes before slicing.
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Jenny Morgenthaler is a writer, photographer and recipe developer who enjoys cooking, growing, creating and adventuring in the kitchen and beyond. She is a cancer survivor and is passionate about using good, healthy food to support wellness in the midst of big life challenges. Jenny believes that everyone should be able to enjoy a flavorful, colorful, healthy meal around the same table, so her recipes are flexible and adaptable to a variety of dietary needs. Life is improvised and beautifully messy, and cooking should be too! You can visit Jenny, her quirky musings, and healthy recipes at Spoon with Me.