Coconut Banana Muffins

Medically reviewed by Christiana George Updated Date: December 18, 2022

In between all the rain showers, we have had some pretty nice days. This past Sunday was one of them. My husband and I actually took the kids to our community pool. They have been begging to go since it opened April 1. Only the neighborhood kids ventured out into the not so warm water. The adults were all lounging around in the hot sun. I am looking forward to some summer weather. For now, I will have to do with some summer inspired treats. These Coconut Banana Muffins with Tequila Lime Glaze fit the bill perfectly.

As you can see, these have the same makings as most of my muffins. I just swapped out a few of the flavors.

I know not everyone likes the texture of shredded coconut, so I pulsed it a few times in the food processor to get smaller pieces. I just loved how well these muffins rise. They are always light and fluffy.

When I was taste testing the glaze, it was pretty strong. However, it ends up soaking into the muffins and the tequila taste mostly goes away. I actually ended up double glazing mine because I forgot to have the toasted coconut ready before the first layer of glaze set. The toasted coconut flakes added more flavor and a bit of crunch.

These Coconut Banana Muffins came out moist and full of coconut flavor, without being dense or overly sweet. The Tequila Lime Glaze added a little tang to balance the sweetness of the coconut. If you just want to add a lime glaze, you could just replace the tequila with water.

Just looking at these muffins has got me thinking of summer; sitting by the pool with a margarita in hand. Oh yeah, baby! I am ready. Are you? Perhaps you should make some muffins to get you going.

Coconut Banana Muffins

by The Sweet Chick

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Keywords: bake bread breakfast dessert snack coconut coconut oil banana tequila Cinco de Mayo muffins bread American spring summer

Ingredients (12 muffins)

For the muffins

2/3 cups light brown sugar
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
2 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon imitation coconut extract
2 medium bananas, mashed
1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sweetened coconut flakes

For the glaze

1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon tequila
1 teaspoon water

Optional toppings

sprinkles
toasted coconut flakes

Instructions

For the muffins

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Place solid coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for about 20 seconds until melted.

In a stand mixer bowl add sugar, oil, eggs, and coconut extract. Mix on low speed until completely blended.

Then add mashed bananas and mix until smooth.

Next add in the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until well blended.

Lastly, add the shredded coconut to the mixer bowl and mix on low until completely incorporated.

Spoon batter into greased/lined muffin tins until about 3/4 full.

Bake at 375ºF for 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Remove from oven and place on cooling rack. Cool completely before adding glaze.

For the glaze

In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, lime juice, tequila, and water until smooth.

Brush the glaze over the tops of the muffins.

Let the glaze set.

For the optional toppings

If you add sprinkles or toasted coconut flakes to the tops of the muffins, do so before the glaze sets.

Notes

To make toasted coconut flakes, lay out 1/2 – 1 cup of sweetened coconut flakes on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake at 325°F for about 10 minutes or until golden brown, stirring them around half way through. Let the toasted coconut flakes cool before adding to the muffins. You can keep any extra flakes in an air tight container and use it over ice cream, waffles, etc.

If you do not want to add tequila to the glaze, simply replace the quantity with water.

If you want to add more glaze, let one layer of glaze set before brushing on another.

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Quinoa With Corn, Mint, And Scallions, Or, Think of The Peasants Linda!

Salad

Christiana George

Updated Date:
June 8, 2023

I pride myself on how cleanly I can eat corn on the cob. In one miraculous maneuver (if I do say so myself), my head moving left to right like a typewriter, I consume the entire thing without leaving a single kernel behind. They are so detached so neatly that all that remains are long, empty furrows.

It’s a strange thing to be proud of, no? I learned this skill from my mom, the Queen of Economy, who never wasted so much as a single kernel of corn. She instilled this mindset in my sister and me to an almost obsessive degree. Case in point: at the end of dinner, a quick examination of the bowls would reveal three—mine, my mom’s, and my sister’s—to be completely spotless. Not a single grain of rice, a single grain of rice, left to speak of. My dad’s, on the other hand, is usually coated with a thin layer of the stuff, stained with residue from the meal. Oh Dad.

Like the children in Africa, us Chinese have our nongming, peasant class, to think of: every grain of rice left behind represents wasted toil on the part of the rice farmer. Of course, my dad comes from a family of rice farmers and he clearly isn’t heartbroken over the squandered rice. My mom has a retort to that though—his family had pigs to feed.

Anyway, whenever I use corn in recipes, I think about how my mom would have a fit seeing how much of the cob I waste when sawing off the kernels. All that wasted sustenance, Linda!

It’s a good thing I keep my cooking to a minimum when I’m visiting.

Today’s recipe is healthy and delicious, and comes with a huge serving of corn, which, when in season, glows, lovely and diffuse. I love eating it raw, and I think you will too, especially if you can get it fresh. While quinoa isn’t the most dazzling base for a summer side, this quinoa is light and fluffy, effervescent even, AND comes dressed in lemony butter. I’m sure you can imagine just what an effect lemony butter can have. Finally, the fresh mint and fresh scallion insert themselves—in their own unique ways—quite winningly, adding refreshing and ever-so-pungent notes (respectively) to the dish. All in all, I highly recommend making this as a counterbalance to a hefty platterful of meat.

QUINOA WITH CORN, MINT, AND SCALLIONS

Adapted from Gourmet

Serves 8

Ingredients:

4 ears corn, shucked
Zest from 1 lemon
Juice from 1 lemon
1/2 stick butter (1/4 cup), melted
1 Tbsp mild honey
Salt & pepper to taste
2 cups quinoa
4 scallions, chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint

Directions:

Since it’s the season, simply cut the corn kernels off the cob with a heavy knife. Otherwise, put corn in a 5- to 6-quart wide pot, add water to cover, and bring to a boil, covered. Remove from heat and let stand, still covered, for 5 minutes. Transfer corn with tongs to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, cut kernels off cobs with a knife.

In a (very) large bowl, whisk the lemon juice and zest, butter, honey, and salt/pepper until combined.

Cook the quinoa in a 4- to 5-quart pot of boiling salted water, uncovered, until almost tender, about 10 minutes. Drain in sieve, then set sieve over same pot with 1 inch of simmering water (water should not touch bottom of sieve). Cover quinoa with a folded kitchen towel, then cover sieve with a lid and steam until quinoa is tender, fluffy, and dry, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand (still covered) 5 minutes.
Add quinoa to dressing and toss until dressing is absorbed. Then toss in scallions, mint, and more salt and pepper if needed.

Note: Unless you’re planning on feeding a crowd, I would highly recommend halving this recipe. It makes a lot more than you’d think.