Banana Muffins with Olive Oil & Dark Chocolate

I’ve used tigernut flour in a lot of my sweets and eats. Tiger nuts are one of nature’s super foods and they just happen to be gluten free, vegan and paleo approved! Tigernut flour isn’t exactly a new food, in fact, for centuries people in North Africa and Spain have been munching on delicious tiger nuts. I say it’s time we catch on to this health trend. Here are seven great reasons to start using tigernut flour today and a simple morning muffin recipe to get you started.

Tigernut flour is high in fiber

Over 30% of a tiger nut is made of fiber, which many of us are sorely lacking in. Less than 3% of Americans actually reach the minimum daily recommendation of fiber. All that fiber keeps our digestive systems going strong!

Great for blood pressure control

Another one of wonderful health benefits of tigernut flour is that it’s rich in amino acids which beneficial to people suffering with high blood pressure.

Packed full of protein

We all know that protein is essential for building of muscle, skin and bone, and tigernut flour just happens to be a rich source of protein. For non-meat eaters, tigernuts just happen to be one of the best protein sources around!

A blood sugar regulator

Tigernut flour can help to regulate blood sugar levels. The insoluble fiber in tiger nuts can be of great help to diabetics because, unlike other carbohydrates, tigernuts don’t make your blood sugar levels go haywire.

Filled with healthy fats

Another one of health benefits of tiger nuts is the they contain the healthy oils (similar to olive oil used in the recipe below). The oil from these tasty tigernuts consists of around 80% unsaturated fats and 18% saturated fat… and I’m a big fan of healthy fats.

And speaking of healthy fats…

why don’t you give these Banana Muffins with Olive Oil and Dark Chocolate a try! Great for a light morning bite or a snack on the go, these mini muffins are a delicious way to enjoy the day!

banana muffins with olive oil and dark chocolate

Yields: 16 mini muffins

total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup Tigernut flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of pink himalayan salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (or more!)
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2T maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 very ripe bananas, mashed
1/3 cup coconut milk
3 ounces high-quality dark chocolate, chopped (I love unsweetened!)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 330 degrees F and lightly grease a mini-muffin pan with coconut oil. In a large bowl, whisk together the tigernut flour, baking soda, salt and spices. Set aside.

Using a smaller, separate bowl together mix together the maple syrup, vanilla extract, olive oil and bananas, whisking again until combined. Stir in the coconut milk. Gradually add these wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, followed by the chopped dark chocolate and mixing until just incorporated. Fill each mini muffin spot full with batter (these tasty bites don’t rise too much). You might even place a very thinly sliced piece of banana on top of the muffins before baking.

Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until tops are no longer wet and become slightly golden and remove from oven. Allow these golden beauties to cool and set before removing them from the pan.