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Bunny Muffins CU

Bunny Muffins

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This fun Easter/Spring recipe is a great way to use up those ripe bananas that may lurk in the fruit bowl.

I sometimes have dreams (or nightmares) about bananas as we receive lots of these, often very ripe as part of our mission to intercept food from being wasted.

Being loathe to waste anything, I try to drum up many ways of using them in recipes. This recipe, like most bakes using bananas, requires that they are ripe to ensure that they are soft enough and provide the right sweetness. Bananas ripen through a natural process where they produce ethene (commonly known as ethylene) gas, which triggers enzymes to convert starches into sugars, soften the flesh, and turn the peel from green to yellow/brown.

In the UK, it is estimated that 1.4m edible bananas are binned every day at a cost of £80 million a year. A third of consumers admit to discarding a banana if it has even a minor bruise or black mark on the skin. More than one in 10 also throw the fruit away if it shows any green on the skin.

This waste has an impact:

  • About 5-gallons of water per day is required for one banana tree alone
  • They are mostly flown or shipped over to our country, creating more CO2 gases
  • As with all foods in landfill, as they decompose, they produce greenhouse gases that trap heat in the atmosphere, i.e. global warming

For more information on Food Waste and Climate Change, please see our LCBC Blog.

Bunny Muffins

Joanne Iceton
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Dessert
Servings 6 muffins

Equipment

  • Weighing scales
  • Measuring Spoons
  • Mixing spoon
  • Fork
  • Muffin Tray
  • Muffin liners optional - you can grease the tin if needed
  • Oven

Ingredients
  

Muffins

  • 2 small ripe bananas mashed (about 150g)
  • 4 tbsp brown sugar
  • 50 g Greek or natural yogurt
  • 50 g oil
  • 1 egg
  • 125 g wholemeal flour + 2 tsp baking powder or use 125g self raising flour
  • 75 g chopped chocolate/choc chips

Topping

  • 50 g icing sugar
  • 1 tsp water
  • 25 g desiccated coconut
  • 6 marshmallows cut in half diagonally
  • 12 edible eyes
  • 6 jelly beans

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 180C.
  • In a bowl, mash the bananas thoroughly with the sugar. Stir in the yogurt and oil and beat in the egg.
  • Stir in the baking powder, then the flour, and mix gently.
  • Stir in the chopped chocolate
  • Spoon the batter into the individual muffin cases.
  • Bake in the oven for 25 - 30 minutes. You can decorate the muffins when still warm, but preferably, decorate when cool.

Decoration

  • Mix the icing sugar with the water in one small bowl
  • Measure the coconut in another
  • Dip the cooled cakes first in the icing, then the coconut.
  • Dip the uncut edges of the marshmallows in the remaining icing, then fix to the top of the muffins for the ‘ears’
  • Press a jelly bean in the cakes to make a nose
  • Press 2 edible eyes in the cakes for the eyes

Notes

These can be stored for up to 3 days because of the fruit content, or frozen (without decorations) for up to 3 months.
Just defrost to eat.
These muffins can be made using gluten free self raising flour (just add gluten free baking powder if using plain. 
They can also be made dairy free if you use dark chocolate (check the ingredients that they do not contain milk solids)/use dairy free chocolate, or omit the chocolate altogether. 
Keyword bakes, muffins

The recipes are free to everyone to use (please give credits to us if you choose to use them), and always will be, but our non-profit organisation incurs many costs to keep it running. If you would like to help keep it going, please consider giving a donation. If you feel inspired to try more, why not invest in our Recipe Collection, available online or from our Eco Market. 

Thank you

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Nutritional Benefits:

Bananas: Potassium is important to maintain the functioning of cells, nerves and muscles

                    Tryptophan helps lift the mood and sleep

                    Like all fruit, bananas are a source of soluble fibre; essential for a healthy digestive system.

Wholemeal flour contains more B vitamins (needed to release energy from nutrients and a healthy nervous system) and vitamin E content than white (helping wound healing, immunity and healthy eyes, skin and red blood cells) as well as insoluble fibre essential for good digestive health and stabilising blood sugars.

Lower sugar than most sweet baked foods.

 

Apple Crumble Loaf (1)

Apple Crumble Loaf

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At this time of year, produce from gardens and allotments is bountiful, and it brings to mind a plethora of ideas on how to use this fruit and veg. This makes me reminisce about my memories of childhood where my beloved uncle Robert and Grandad were avid gardeners with a mindset that gardens are for growing food. Pea pods were there to be freshy picked and guzzled and myself and my cousins, tried to copy our Nana by making ‘broth’ made with any bits of cabbage leaves, dropped tomatoes and whatever else we could find. At the end of summer, everyone’s bath tubs seemed to be lost to carrots and leeks in preparation for the local leek shows!

For anyone who has apple trees, where they all seem ready at once, thinking of various ways to use them without them going to waste is a skill itself! This particular recipe came about because of a kind donation from Jacqui and Peter Bass who had an excess from their apple trees and got in touch to ask if we could use them. My lovely husband (chief tester, followed by our fabulous LCBC team!) had a fancy for apple crumble, but I wanted to try something that could be served alongside a cuppa, instead of being limited to have with custard or cream.

This delicious moist bake can of course, be eaten with said custard or cream, but moreish enough to have on its own.

This recipe can easily be tweaked too to make it dairy free, and as it does not contain eggs, it will therefore be vegan too.

 

Apple Crumble Loaf

Joanne Iceton
A delicious bake that happens to be vegan
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Dessert

Equipment

  • Bowls
  • Weighing scales
  • Measuring Spoons
  • Chopping knife
  • Pan or microwave to melt coconut oil or butter
  • Loaf tin
  • Oven

Ingredients
  

  • 1 medium bramley apples or you can use eating apples
  • 50 g brown sugar
  • 1.5 tsp ground cinammon
  • 200 g wholemeal flour or you can use self raising flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder omit if using self raising flour
  • 100 g brown sugar
  • 100 ml/g milk of choice use oat/almond or soya if vegan
  • 50 ml/g oil

Crumble Topping

  • 75 g coconut oil or you can use butter
  • 75 g brown sugar
  • 50 g oats
  • 100 g wholemeal flour or you can use more self raising flour
  • Handful walnuts, chopped optional

Instructions
 

  • Oven at 180c
  • Core and chop the apples, no need to peel and add to a bowl. Stir in the sugar and cinnamon then set aside.
  • Add the flour, baking powder and sugar to a bowl, mixing together. Add the milk and oil then whisk in. Stir in the 2/3 of the sugared apples.
  • Pour into a greased or line loaf tin, then pour over the remaining apples with any juices making sure it is evenly spread out.
  • For the crumble, melt the coconut oil or butter with the sugar in a microwave in short bursts or gently in a pan on the hob. Add in the oats, then flour, and stir in until you have a crumbly mixture. At this point, you can add the chopped walnuts if using. Scatter evenly over the top of the apples.
  • Bake for 50 mins - 1 hour until an inserted skewer comes out clean. You can turn the oven up to 200c 10 mins before the end if you like a crunchier topping.

Notes

This loaf will keep in an airtight container for a few days or up to five days if kept in the fridge. 
Keyword apples, bakes

The recipes are free to everyone to use (please give credits to us if you choose to use them), and always will be, but our non-profit organisation incurs many costs to keep it running. If you would like to help keep it going, please consider giving a donation. If you feel inspired to try more, why not invest in our Recipe Collection, available online or from our Eco Market. 

Thank you

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Nutritional Benefits

The phytonutrients and antioxidants in apples can help to lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers. Apples are low on the glycaemic index due to their high fibre content and along with its antioxidants, help to protect against degenerative brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s .

Using Wholemeal Flour contains more B vitamins (needed to release energy from nutrients and a healthy nervous system) and vitamin E content than white (helping wound healing, immunity and healthy eyes, skin and red blood cells) as well as insoluble fibre essential for good digestive health and stabilising blood sugars.

Using all wholemeal flour will create a denser bake. You may substitute the wholemeal flour for all white, but you will lose some benefits.

Ginger Tea Loaf

Ginger Tea Loaf

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As I had ran out of eggs (which is a rarity in our home!), and wanted to create a bake that could be eaten by those with a dairy intolerance, I tweaked my Ginger Bread Traybake recipe to make this delicious loaf cake that also happens to be vegan.

This moist bake is light, yet packs a punch with the divine warm flavour of ginger that contrasts beautifully with the sweet yet tangy pomegranate, ideal to have with a cuppa (hence the name tea loaf). Of course, you are free to leave this cake ‘naked’, or simply drizzle with the icing too.

Why not give it a try!

 

Jo x

Ginger Tea Loaf

Joanne Iceton
A delicious and moist warming loaf cake
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Course Dessert
Servings 1 loaf

Equipment

  • mixing bowls large and small
  • Weighing scales
  • Measuring Spoons
  • Mixing spoon
  • Loaf tin with loaf liner or lined with greaseproof paper if possible
  • Knife and chopping surface

Ingredients
  

Tea Loaf

  • 275 g wholemeal flour*
  • 2.5 tsp baking powder*
  • 1 heaped tbsp ground ginger
  • 150 g brown sugar
  • 170 ml/g water
  • 100 ml/g oil e.g. unrefined rapeseed or vegetable, not one that is strong flavoured
  • 50 g treacle

Topping 1

  • 100 g icing sugar
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice juice of about 1/2 small lemon
  • 1 - 2 balls stem ginger, finely chopped or you can use 1 - 2 tbsp crystalised ginger, chopped
  • 1 handful pomegranate seeds about 1/2 pomegranate (optional)

Topping 2

  • 1 - 2 tbsp icing sugar to dust

Topping 3

  • 1 - 2 tbsp ginger preserve or marmalade Add a splash of water to loosen

Instructions
 

  • Oven 180c
  • Mix together the flour, baking powder, ginger and sugar in a bowl.
  • Make a well in the centre, then add the water, oil and treacle. Beat together until smooth.
  • Pour the batter into a greased/lined loaf tin. Bake for 45 - 50 mins in the centre of the oven until risen. An inserted knife or cocktail stick should come out clean. Allow to cool in the tin for 10 mins then transfer to a wire rack to cool fully
  • Topping 1 Icing Drizzle- mix the icing sugar and lemon juice together until smooth. Drizzle over the top of the loaf. Scatter over the chopped stem ginger and pomegranate seeds and allow to set before slicing.
  • Topping 2: Icing Sugar - dust the icing sugar with a fine sieve. You can also add the chopped stem ginger here.
  • Topping 3: Mix the preserve or marmalade with a little water to loosen it then spread over the hot cake.

Notes

*If preferred, you can substitute the wholemeal flour for white self raising flour and reduce the baking powder to 1 tsp.
You can add dried fruit if wished. Add 100g raisins or sultanas or chopped apricots/dates etc. 
This cake can also me made into a traybake or muffins, you just need to reduce the timings. I used a traybake tin 30 x 18cm which made a shallow bake as shown on the website. If you use a smaller tin, make sure it is deep enough. A traybake will take roughly 25 - 30 mins. It will take 15 - 20 mins to make 6 - 8 muffins.
Store in an airtight container for up to 4 - 5 days.
Keyword bakes, ginger, tea loaf

The recipes are free to everyone to use (please give credits to us if you choose to use them), and always will be, but our non-profit organisation incurs many costs to keep it running. If you would like to help keep it going, please consider giving a donation. If you feel inspired to try more, why not invest in our Recipe Collection, available online or from our Eco Market. 

Thank you

Card Donations PayPal Donations

Nutritional Benefits:

Wholemeal flour:  Unlike white flour (which is milled and loses up to 80% of it’s nutrients) wholemeal flour contains more B vitamins (needed to release energy from nutrients and a healthy  nervous system) and  vitamin E helping wound healing and healthy red blood cells, iron, selenium, zinc as well as insoluble  fibre essential for good digestive health and  stabilising blood sugars.

Although fresh ginger contains a higher level of compounds (terpenes and gingerols) than dried, both forms offer comparable health benefits, such as aiding digestion, reducing inflammation and nausea, as well as boosting the immune  system. .

 

 

 

dav

Banana & Raspberry Bread

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I come across a LOT of ripe bananas in my role.  As everybody knows, the fruit goes from yellow to overripe quite fast.

In the UK, it is estimated that 1.4m edible bananas are binned every day at a cost of £80m a year. A third of consumers admit to discarding a banana if it has even a minor bruise or black mark on the skin. More than one in 10 also throw the fruit away if it shows any green on the skin.

This waste has an impact:

  • About 5-gallons of water per day is required for one banana tree alone
  • They are mostly flown or shipped over to our country, creating more CO2 gases
  • As with all foods in landfill, as they decompose, they produce greenhouse gases that trap heat in the atmosphere, i.e. global warming

For more information on Food Waste and Climate Change, please see our LCBC Blog.

For this recipe, I also included some frozen raspberries to boost the fruit content and to add a tangy contrast to the sweetness of the bananas, as well as a couple of Weetabix that no one in the family wanted.  #LoveFoodHateWaste

BANANA & RASPBERRY BREAD

Joanne Iceton
A fruity cake type bread, ideal to use up ripe bananas
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Resting time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Course Dessert, Snack
Servings 1 loaf

Equipment

  • Scales
  • mixing bowl
  • Fork
  • Loaf tin
  • Oven

Ingredients
  

  • 50 g butter
  • 50 g brown sugar you can use regular sugar, but brown enhances the flavours
  • 2 medium ripe bananas
  • 2 eggs
  • 100 ml milk
  • 100 g wholemeal flour*
  • 100 g plain flour*
  • 2 tsp baking powder*
  • 125 g raspberries frozen or fresh
  • Handful of rolled oats
  • 1 tbsp demerara sugar or use brown
  • 2 Weetabix, crushed

Instructions
 

  • Oven 180c.
  • Beat the butter with the sugar then mash in the bananas until as smooth as possible. Beat in the eggs and milk. Alternatively, add these ingredients to a food processor and blend then pour into a mixing bowl.
  • Stir in the baking powder, flour and Weetabix then mix well. Gently stir in the raspberries.
  • Pour into a greased or lined loaf tin. Mix the oats with the demerara sugar then evenly sprinkle over the batter. Bake for 55 - 60 mins (an inserted skewer or knife should come out clean).
  • Leave to cool for 30 mins before removing from the tin. For better slicing, leave to cool fully

Notes

This will keep for 1 - 2 days because of the fruit content in an airtight container and up to 5 days in the fridge. It is also lovely if toasted.
You can swap the fruit in this recipe for any other chopped fruit, e.g. peaches, mango, blueberries, apple.
I have also tried this with 100g of dark choc chunks, as well as drizzled with white chocolate.
*If you do not have wholemeal flour, you can substitute it and use all plain (200g). You can also use 200g self raising flour and omit the baking powder.
Keyword bakes, bananas, raspberries

The recipes are free to everyone to use (please give credits to us if you choose to use them), and always will be, but our non-profit organisation incurs many costs to keep it running. If you would like to help keep it going, please consider giving a donation. If you feel inspired to try more, why not invest in our Recipe Collection, available online or from our Eco Market. 

Thank you

Card Donations               PayPal Donations

 

Nutritional Benefits:

Bananas: Potassium is important to maintain the functioning of cells, nerves and muscles

                    Tryptophan helps lift the mood and sleep

Raspberries: Antioxidant vitamin C for repair of tissues and maintaining the immune system

    Berries are best eaten raw as some of the vitamin C content is destroyed when exposed to heat. Using frozen raspberries for this recipe means that the heat does not penetrate the fruit as much meaning more nutrients are retained.

Like all fruit, bananas and raspberries are a source of soluble fibre; essential for a healthy digestive system.

Wholemeal flour contains more B vitamins (needed to release energy from nutrients and a healthy nervous system) and vitamin E content than white (helping wound healing, immunity and healthy eyes, skin and red blood cells) as well as insoluble fibre essential for good digestive health and stabilising blood sugars.

 

Lower sugar than most sweet baked foods.

 

Blueberry Softbakes (2)

Blueberry Softbakes

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These delicious morsels were created using some blueberries that had become a little too soft but were still perfectly edible and nutritious (if you haven’t noticed, there is a theme of reducing food waste in many of my recipes!).

Blueberries in a biscuit, unless dried, don’t tend to work as they soon absorb the moisture and go soft very quickly. These bakes are meant to be soft, almost cake like, but with a crunchy exterior. The contrast of the crispy ‘shell’, fluffy centre and burst of fruity goodness makes these one of those bites where it is hard to stop at one. Yes, you can pick similar bakes at the shop but these have only natural ingredients and a LOT lower in sugar.

They are simple to make and bake, why not give them a try?

BLUEBERRY SOFTBAKES

Joanne Iceton
Delicious morsels of fruity goodness
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Dessert, Snack
Servings 10

Equipment

  • Baking tray

Ingredients
  

  • 50 g butter melted
  • 120 ml/g Greek yogurt
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 75 g demerara sugar plus about 1 - 2 tbsp. for sprinkling
  • 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 150 g wholemeal flour swap to standard white if wished
  • 100 g blueberries you can use fresh or frozen

Instructions
 

  • Oven, 180c
  • Mix the melted butter with the yogurt. Stir in the cinnamon and the 50g sugar then the baking powder.
  • Stir in the flour then gently mix in the blueberries.
  • Spoon mounds of the thick batter set apart on greased baking trays then flatten a little. Sprinkle generously with the demerara sugar.
  • Bake for 20 - 25 mins until golden. Leave to cool on the tray for 5 mins and then cool on a wire rack.
  • These bakes are best served warm (watch out for hot blueberries if serving to children), but equally as delicious cold.
    Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days but they will soften with time.
    Pop in an oven (180c) for 5 - 10 mins to warm through again or in a microwave for 5 - 10 seconds.
Keyword bakes, blueberries

The recipes are free to everyone to use (please give credits to us if you choose to use them), and always will be, but our non-profit organisation incurs many costs to keep it running. If you would like to help keep it going, please consider giving a donation. If you feel inspired to try more, why not invest in our Recipe Collection, available online or from our Eco Market. 

Thank you

Card Donations PayPal Donations

Nutritional Benefits:

Blueberries contain antioxidant vitamins C and E, are cancer preventative, help to boost memory, fight bacteria and contain soluble fibre essential for good digestive health and promoting friendly gut bacteria.

Wholemeal flour:  Unlike white flour (which is milled and loses up to 80% of it’s nutrients)  wholemeal flour contains more B vitamins (needed to release energy from nutrients and a healthy   nervous system) and  vitamin E helping wound healing and healthy red blood cells, iron, selenium, zinc as well as insoluble  fibre essential for good digestive health and  stabilising blood sugar.

Dairy foods in the form of yogurt DO contain saturated fats but many studies have found that they have a neutral effect on the cardiovascular system (not like previously thought).  They provide many nutrients including calcium (for the development and maintenance of strong, healthy bones), protein (for growth and repair function), iodine (important for healthy nerve and brain function, and healthy skin, vitamin B12 (for healthy red blood cells and nerve function), vitamin B2 (to help release energy from carbohydrate and protein)

Reduced sugar: this recipe is lower in sugar than most similar bakes.

Breakfast Muffins (1)

Breakfast Muffins

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I created this recipe after finding some bran cereal at the back of my cupboard which had turned rather stale. Of course, I could not throw these out, but chose to ‘repurpose’ them in these muffins. You will often find muffins sold in coffee shops or found on menus as breakfast items, however, they are often very high in sugar. These morsels are lower in sugar than most muffins but also contain plenty of fibre from the cereal and wholemeal flour. I have used a mixture of dried fruit (apricots, prunes and cranberries) but you can also just use raisins or sultanas. I haven’t tried them with fresh fruit yet.

BREAKFAST MUFFINS

Joanne Iceton
Muffins to be eaten any time of the day.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Breakfast, Snack
Servings 8

Equipment

  • Muffin Tray
  • Scales
  • Oven
  • Measuring Spoons

Ingredients
  

Muffins

  • 250 ml milk warmed
  • 100 g bran based cereal e.g. flakes, shreddies, weetabix
  • 75 g brown sugar
  • 100 ml unrefined rapeseed oil
  • 1 egg
  • Pinch salt
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. mixed spice this can be increased to 1 tsp. if wished
  • 75 g chopped dried fruit or you can use raisins/sultanas
  • 125 g wholemeal flour
  • 2 tsp. baking powder

Toppings

  • 1 tbsp. marmalade heated to melt
  • or
  • 2 tbsp. demerara/brown sugar
  • 6 - 10 pecan halves

Instructions
 

  • Oven 180c
  • Pour the warmed milk over the cereal and set aside until the cereal is soft (about 5 - 10 mins). Add the sugar, oil, egg, salt, spices and fruit then mix well.
  • Stir in the flour and baking powder then spoon the batter into 6 - 10 muffin cases. The amount you make will depend on the size of your muffin cases/tray. I used silicone muffin trays placed on a baking tray for stability. I much prefer this as it means less waste going to landfill (paper cases cannot be recycled with baked on food remaining on them).
  • You can either use marmalade or the sugar and pecans for the topping.
    For a marmalade topping, melt the preserve in a microwave for about 10 seconds until it melts then spoon this over the batter. Alternatively, scatter the sugar over the batter and finish, if wished, with a pecan.
  • Bake for 20 - 25 mins (about 30 mins if your muffins are deep) until they have risen and are firm. A sharp knife/skewer inserted should come out with only a few crumbs attached.
  • Allow to cool in the tray for 5 mins then remove to cool fully on a wire rack.
  • These muffins can be served warm or cold. They can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Notes

If you don't have wholemeal flour, you can of course just use standard plain flour or self raising flour (just omit the baking powder if using SR flour). 

The recipes are free to everyone to use (please give credits to us if you choose to use them), and always will be, but our non-profit organisation incurs many costs to keep it running. If you would like to help keep it going, please consider giving a donation. If you feel inspired to try more, why not invest in our Recipe Collection, available online or from our Eco Market. 

Thank you

Card Donations PayPal Donations

Nutritional Benefits:

The addition of wholemeal flour as well as the bran cereal helps to boost the insoluble fibre content which is essential for good digestive health and stabilising blood sugars. Using wholemeal flour increases B vitamins (needed to release energy from nutrients and a healthy nervous system) and vitamin E content helping wound healing and healthy red blood cells).