My little guy is turning 2 on Friday. Hooray! In preparation for his party, I bought fun cupcake liners yesterday and when he found them on the kitchen counter this morning, he pleaded, "Mama! My want a muppin peez." Really, how can you say no to that?

As it happens, we had four bananas that were desperate for muffin making, so we set to work. My son gets a big thrill out of pouring and stirring -- this particular batch has about three times the recommended cinnamon - but he was having such a good time, I just let it go. They still taste pretty good! And with no added sugar, these are a nice snack.

Years ago, my daughter went to preschool with a child who had dairy and egg allergies so I found and refined a recipe for vegan banana muffins that I could safely bring into her classroom. It has become my go-to recipe any time I'm baking with my kids. They love to lick the bowl so this egg-free recipe is a winning solution for everyone.

Dairy and Egg Free Banana Muffins

Ingredients:

4 super ripe bananas

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 c vegetable oil

1 c applesauce

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix all dry ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside. In another bowl, mash the bananas. Add vanilla extract, vegetable oil and applesauce and mix together. Add dry ingredients to wet ones and stir to combine. We like leaving the banans slightly chunky.

Pour into muffin pan lined with cupcake liners and bake for approximately 22-24 minutes. Makes about 12 muffins.

Let cool for 10 minutes and enjoy!

I go through phases with bananas. Sometimes they are the world's perfect food and I eat one every day. Other times I go for weeks without one. My family loves bananas. Right now we're consuming bananas like we're a family of wild monkeys. Bananas are perfect for traveling. You can throw one in a bag, travel for hours and the bananas is as delicious as ever. They are an ideal toddler food and great for a school kid's lunchbox too. They work well as a standalone masterpiece or as a sidekick to things like sandwiches and yogurts.

Unfortunately, when we're consuming bananas at this rate, they don't stick around in the fruit bowl long enough to make banana muffins - a wonderful snack beloved by my kids (and their friends!)

Banana Muffins

2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 TB sugar
1/2 c vegetable oil
2 large eggs
4 large very ripe bananas (*very* ripe)
1/2 cup plain kefir
3/4 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350. Line a muffin tin with liners. Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl and set it aside. Mix the sugar and vegetable oil together (with a spoon or electric mixer). Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Mash the bananas completely and then add them, mixing until well incorporated. Add the flour mixture, stirring only enough to moisten the dry ingredients and blend them in. Next, add in the kefir and vanilla extract. Pour the batter into the muffin tins and bake for approximately 20-25 minutes or until a cake tester or knife inserted into the center of one comes out clean. Cool for about 15 minutes. Makes 12-14 muffins.

Banana Muffins - Dairy Free and Egg Free

Banana Muffins... If Only There Were Bananas!