Who among us couldn’t use a little extra protein? Well, that’s a trick question, as the average North American gets more than enough protein (and carbs and fat) via their generally abysmal daily diet. Burgers, pizza, fried foods. Plus the usual frozen ultra-processed nightmares. Convenience is killing us kilo by kilo. (The number of middle-aged men in Niagara who look to be eight-and-a-half months pregnant with twin basketballs is astounding.)
But there are times when extra protein is called for—after intense workouts or bike rides, body-building generally, and recovery from illness. It’s the last category that inspires this delicious recipe, occasioned by the editor of PelhamToday’s recent hospital stay and loss of weight. Time to put on some pounds, sir, healthily.
[Editor’s note: These muffins are indeed healthy and delicious, and much appreciated. To refresh your memory as to Mr. Geroux’s cooking and ingredient-sourcing philosophies, see his inaugural column. He advises that his disinclination to patronize certain local suppliers remains “robustly intact.”]
Protein powders, flax
There may be some ingredients here that you’re unfamiliar with. Protein powders are derived from various sources, including dairy milk. I tend to prefer plant-based protein supplements, namely from peas. Whey protein powder specifically tends to gum-up, which is less than ideal for cooking. Pea protein, on the other hand, absorbs more moisture, requiring compensatory liquid in a recipe. While pea protein is thought by some to have a slightly nutty flavour, this disappears entirely in most recipes.
The benefits of flax are well documented, if not as well known as they should be. I won’t bore you with details that you can find elsewhere online. Suffice to say that digestion is greatly improved, and LDL (bad cholesterol) levels are lowered. These muffins end up with about two-thirds of a tablespoon of flax in each, which is a good daily amount.
Pea protein powder is available online or at any health food store. Flax is also available online, or at most large grocery stores, such as Zehrs (which recently had it on sale), that stock Bob’s Red Mill products. If you prefer not to use one or both here, simply substitute whole-wheat or additional all-purpose flour in their absence.
Corn syrup
What’s this? The Devil’s Nectar?
Used widely in home baking a century ago, corn syrups have fallen out of favour, which is a pity. The main reason for this is that they are mistaken for their arguably truly evil cousin, high fructose corn syrup, which is a prime ingredient in the appalling obesity rates seen both in North America and increasingly around the world.
The corn syrup found at the grocery store is simply a neutral, natural liquid sweetener—glucose—and panic over it is misplaced. Glucose is less sweet than white sugar (sucrose), and its cooking advantages include prevention of crystallization, better textures, leavening help, and moisture retention. In nearly any raised baked good recipe, substitute 2/3 corn syrup for granular sugar—i.e., if the recipe calls for 1 cup of sugar, use 2/3 cup of corn syrup—and the result will be noticeably more tender and moist, ideal for cakes and muffins.
A word about bananas
Most banana bread recipes scream in bold italics to use only bananas that are borderline rotten, nearly gelatinous in their decomposition. This is literally a matter of taste.
The more decayed—sorry, “ripened” is the socially acceptable euphemism—the fruit, the stronger its flavour. This is true across the board: apples, strawberries, peaches, et al. If you want intense banana flavour in your muffins, let your bananas turn 50 shades of gray over a week or so then proceed. That said, a little baked banana flavour goes a long way, and I’m personally not a huge fan. The rule of thumb: the less ripe the banana, the less banana flavour in your end result.
Nutritionally, by the way, under-ripe, just-right, or over-ripe makes no difference—with one exception. The more ripe a banana becomes, the less insoluble fibre it contains as these starches continue to decompose. If it’s gut motility you’re after, yellow-skinned bananas with a touch of green are the way to go.
Fruity and nutty
I’ve arbitrarily called for cranberries and walnuts here, a classic combination. But you’re free to use whatever fruit and nut mix you’d like—or none at all. Minus either or both the volume of batter will be slightly less, but the cooking time unchanged.
So, shall we get to it?
Banana Cranberry Protein Muffins
These muffins feature extra protein, healthy banana fibre, LDL-lowering flax, and savoury cranberries for a tasty, compact treat. Don’t be afraid to butter them up! They freeze exceptionally well.
Time from reading this sentence to muffins in your mouth: 45 minutes.
Ingredients
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup pea or other protein powder
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup flax meal
1/2 cup cranberries or raisins
1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cardamom
3 medium bananas
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1/4 cup vegetable oil or melted butter
1/2 cup corn syrup (sub. with 1/2 cup maple syrup or 3/4 cup sugar)
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk or unsweetened apple sauce
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Oil a standard 12-count muffin pan, or use paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, sift flour, protein powder, oats, flax meal, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and cardamom.
3. On a plate or cutting board, use a fork to mash the bananas.
4. In a smaller bowl, mix oil, corn syrup (or other sweetener), salt, eggs, milk (or applesauce) and vanilla until well combined. Fold in dried fruits and nuts.
5. Pour wet mix into the dry mix, alternating with the bananas, and blend until well combined. Don’t over-mix.
6. Pour batter into the muffin tin. There will be enough to fill each cavity nearly to the top.
7. Bake at 400°F until the muffin tops spring back when pressed, 15 to 20 minutes.
8. Remove from oven, lest rest 10 minutes, remove to wire rack to finish cooling. Enjoy.
