After our visit to the Villa Doré Agricultural Estate and hearing the story of how Andrew and Akane Doré had returned to South Africa from Japan to start their organic agri-processing business, the challenge to bake muffins using their green banana flour brand and macadamia nuts was simply irresistible.
Taking an existing carrot and apple bran muffin recipe passed down from mother to daughter and using online research to establish the correct conversion methods, the experiment got under way.
Baking with green banana flour results in a more crumbly texture than if wheat flour is used, but the taste was simply delicious, particularly hot out of the oven.
And following advice found on Google we used 30% less green banana flour than the quantity stipulated in the recipe for the wheat flour, and we exchanged one cup of brown sugar in the original recipe for ¾ cup of macadamia honey.
We also used macadamia nuts instead of walnuts or pecan nuts.
Recipe:
Prep time: 45 mins Baking time: 35-45 mins
Pre-heat the oven to 180°C
Dry ingredients:
360g green banana flour
2 tsp bicarb
2 tsp cinnamon
4 tbsp desiccated coconut
Pinch of salt
Wet ingredients:
¾ cup macadamia honey
1½ cups finely grated carrots
1½ cups grated apple
½ cup chopped macadamia nuts
½ cup pitted dates or raisins
1 cup macadamia oil
3 free range eggs
½ tsp vanilla
Method:
- Sift the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl.
- In a second bowl combine the grated carrots and apple, desiccated coconut, dates or raisins and nuts. Stir to combine – not too much.
- Add the oil.
- Add the 3 eggs.
- Add vanilla.
- Stir to combine.
- Add the wet mix to the dry ingredients, stirring or mixing until just combined.
- Spoon the mix into a muffin tin lined with muffin baking cases.
- Place in the pre-heated oven.
Notes: As our muffins were baked in a slow gas oven it took a little longer for them to bake than it would in an electric oven. After the muffins have been in the oven for 30 minutes keep checking to make sure they are properly cooked before taking them out.
The baking mix can be stored in the fridge and used over a period of a week
Green banana flour – which is milled used dried un-ripened bananas – is deemed a healthy alternative to standard wheat or gluten flours.
Recognised as a superfood, the flour is gluten-free, helps to balance blood-sugar levels and is high in prebiotic fibre. Prebiotics support the health of the good bacteria in the gut, bowel and colon.
As a starch-resistant fibre that is lower in calories than most wheat flours and other alternatives, green-banana flour is a beneficial dieting starch.
The flour is high in essential minerals and vitamins with an abundance of potassium. According to savoirflair.com two tablespoons of green banana flour hold the same amount of potassium as seven whole bananas. “It also helps lower cholesterol, boosts heart health and aids nerve and muscle activity,” the site says.
