Since reading this book, I no longer mix a banana into my every morning oatmeal. I even hardly ever buy them. Why? Barbara Kingsolver's words got to me. "Should I overlook the suffering of victims of hurricanes, famines, and wars brought on this world by profligate fuel consumption? Bananas that coast a rain forest, refrigerator-trucked soymilk, and prewashed spinach shipped two thousand miles in plastic containers do not seem cruelty-free, in this context. Giving up meet is one path; giving up bananas is another."But, this is my parents' house, and they happened to purchase a bunch of bananas before they went away, so I thought I'd make banana muffins... then I found out today is National Banana Bread Day. Two fun, festive facts:
- Bananas arrived in the United States in the 1870s and quickly became one of the most popular fruits on the market.
- The first cookbooks mentioning banana bread were published during the Great Depression. Culinary historians believe that a resourceful housewife (who didn't want to throw away over-ripe bananas) may have invented the original recipe.
Banana Bread Muffins
2 cups whole grain pancake & baking mix
1 tsp baking powder
1 egg
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup melted butter
Ground cinnamon
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
- In medium mixing bowl, blend dry mix with baking powder.
- In small mixing bowl, combine all remaining ingredients.
- Add liquids to dry ingredients, stirring only until lumps are gone.
- Place cupcake liners in muffin pan. Fill until 3/4 full and sprinkle each one with cinnamon.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until done.
- Remove from oven and allow muffins to cool for about 10 minutes.
- Choose one, remove the cupcake liner, place on a plate, add a smear of almond butter, cream cheese, or butter. Finally, enjoy!
