Carrot, apple and banana muffins are a delicious and healthy snack perfect for lunchboxes and after school. They freeze well too.
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When I was pregnant with our first I tried to be super organised.
Well as organised as you can be as a brand new parent really not having the faintest clue what’s about to happen to you.
I knew that we would be super busy and not have much time but I didn’t really see how a tiny little person could render me incapable of doing anything other than caring for them for the first few weeks.
He sure showed me!
- ClareI make a batch of these every Sunday with my 4 year old daughter.
She loves them! She doesn’t ask for cupcakes or chocolate for a treat anymore, she’s more than happy with one of these muffins. She loves having them in her lunch box at nursery, too. They’re a healthy way to keep her full until dinner time and get some sneaky fruit and veg in there too.
Thanks so much for this recipe!
Luckily, I had cooked a few dinner meals to stock the freezer and my wonderful Mum kept us pretty well-fed too.
What I didn’t anticipate though, was how hungry I would be during the day. Breastfeeding seriously worked up an appetite.
Running on pretty little sleep makes you hungry too.
I didn’t want to snack on junk so ate a whole lot of rice crackers and nuts but whenever anyone came to visit and offered to bring something I would always ask for something like banana bread because even the thought of making a loaf myself stressed me out but I wanted it so badly.
My advice to pregnant friends now is to stock the freezer with healthy, easy-to-grab snacks and the second time around I took my own advice.
The only thing about baking delicious, moist, sweet, healthy muffins in advance is that while I knew they were for when the baby came, my brain knew they were there and I was somehow incapable of resisting them.
My big boy was pretty keen on them too so I ended up baking quite a few batches of them.
Gluten free option
They definitely can be made gluten-free if you need to. I adapted this recipe from the original recipe which was gluten free.
You can use gluten-free flour or buckwheat flour if you want. Alternatively, it's not gluten free but you could substitute the flours with spelt flour.
The original also had brown sugar but I think the banana, apple and maple syrup give them enough sweetness.
These were so good! I made them in the food processor and I think they are going to become my go-to muffin base. I had a whole heap of carrots, bananas and an apple to use up –even threw in a zucchini and some pecans and they came out perfectly! (although next time I would probably add more cinnamon, because I like spice) I’ve got a whole bag in the freezer now, all ready for lunch boxes :)
- Sarah
Tip
To make the prep super-easy, I made mine in the Thermomix (you could also use a food processor).
I just threw in the carrot and apple and chopped it up (I use speed 7 for about 5 seconds for chopping things like this) then added all the wet ingredients, whizzed it, scraped down the sides, added the dry ingredients and gave it another whiz then it was ready.
I’m very big on short-cuts.
Just make sure you don't over-process them.
Variations
You can use different fruit/veggies. I would substitute for similar things though. In place of apple you could use pear and in place of carrot you could use sweet potato or pumpkin.
If you want to use zucchini in the recipe make sure you strain it first to remove the liquid.
Enjoy!
What about you?
Do you make things in advance and end up eating them before you were meant to?
After something a little more decadent? Try our simple carrot cake recipe.
Recipe
Carrot, apple and banana muffins
Ingredients
- 2 free-range eggs
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ⅓ cup mashed very ripe banana 2 small or one large
- ¼ cup maple syrup or honey
- ¼ cup combination of maple syrup and coconut sugar or all of one
- 1 sweet apple finely grated
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup full-cream milk or almond or coconut milk
- 1 cup packed grated carrot (I used 3 regular-sized carrots)
- ⅔ cup rolled oats
- ½ cup almond meal
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoon wholemeal flour
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 160C(320F) fan-forced and grease or line a 12-hole muffin tin with liners.
- Whisk the eggs, banana, maple syrup, coconut sugar and olive oil until smooth.
- Add the milk and whisk it in.
- Fold through the apple, carrot, oats, almond meal, flour, oats, cinnamon, salt, almond meal and baking soda and mix just until combined.
- Divide the batter between the 12 muffin holes.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Leave them to rest in the tin for 15 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Manvir Kaur says
Can I substitute the rolled oats for something else? Can I just use flour instead?
Claire says
You sure can yes.
Claire says
Yes you sure can. Almond meal is another good substitute.
Susan says
I made these this morning, yum! With a cup of coffee, perfect start to the morning. Will freeze the rest for a fast snack.
Claire says
Glad you enjoyed them Susan!
Clare says
I make a batch of these every Sunday with my 4 year old daughter.
She loves them! She doesn't ask for cupcakes or chocolate for a treat anymore, she's more than happy with one of these muffins. She loves having them in her lunch box at nursery, too. They're a healthy way to keep her full until dinner time and get some sneaky fruit and veg in there too.
Thanks so much for this recipe!
Claire says
You're so welcome Clare. I'm glad they're a hit!
Sarah says
These were so good! I made them in the food processor and I think they are going to become my go-to muffin base. I had a whole heap of carrots, bananas and an apple to use up --even threw in a zucchini and some pecans and they came out perfectly! (although next time I would probably add more cinnamon, because I like spice) I've got a whole bag in the freezer now, all ready for lunch boxes :)
Claire says
Sarah you've reminded me of these! I have a heap of carrots I need to use up. Might make some tomorrow! Glad you liked them.
Brooke says
Was looking for a healthier muffin version with ingredients i had on hand and this was lovely! Scared i overmixed the batter but nope, have come out still moist (as much as i hate that word! Made 12 regular size muffins and also 12 mini muffins for my 3 year old, will see how they go down with her otherwise more for me! Thank you will make this again :)
Ps. theres still no mention of the cinnamon or salt in the steps lol! :)
Claire says
Yum Brooke! You're very welcome. I hope they were a success with the 3 year old. Oops! I have added them in thanks for pointing that out.
Mary Anne's Alaska says
These were delicious! Great idea to have healthy snacks like this stashed in the freezer before baby arrives. I always heard of stashing meals but not so much snacks, and while my body was establishing my milk supply after birthing my twins this spring I was SO hungry, but I often only had time for a quick snack and not a full meal. While I'm not as ravenous as those early days, breastfeeding two little ones still requires me to eat a lot throughout the day!
A couple comments about your recipe: you're missing the part in the instructions about when/how to add the apple, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. :) I knew intuitively how and where to do so, but some might be mislead. Also I found the ingredients list to be a bit out of natural order.
Claire says
Wow go Mary having twins. I bet you were hungry. It's a hunger unlike anything else isn't it? Thanks for pointing that out I can't believe I missed it!
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says
That definitely sounds like the key-to have healthy snacks on hand! Not long now though Claire-how long is it? :D
Claire says
Nope not long now. 2-3 weeks! But Ollie came a bit early so could be this time next week if this one is the same!
Elise Petty says
Just put a batch in the oven! The raw mixture tastes great........
Claire says
Enjoy!
Chris Scheuer says
Claire, these look just wonderful!! I'd love to have a stash of them in my freezer although they wouldn't last long, I'd be snitching one all the time.
Claire says
Nope they don't last long here too.
Hotly Spiced says
How's the pregnancy going? I bet you don't have long to go now. The final countdown! I think it's great you're getting super-organised and stocking your freezer with meals and snacks. That will make those first few weeks so much easier. Your muffins look superb xx
Claire says
Nope just under 3 weeks to go now Charlie! It sure will make it easier. x
PamG says
Would be interested in making this Gluten Free - I'm thinking I could just substitute GF flour for your "wholemeal" flour. Do you think?
Claire says
Pam that would definitely work. The original recipe used GF flour.