Whole wheat muffins with bananas, pear, and cashews are a perfect, healthy way to get your morning started.
Morning is not exactly the best or easiest time of day around this house.
Have I mentioned this before? I think I’ve mentioned this before. I’m becoming the crazy lady who repeats herself.
My mother and best friend are both chirpy, annoying morning people. I know firsthand what this looks like. But Boyfriend and I? That’s not us.
Luckily for us – and anyone who has to deal with us before noon – the most recent addition to our kitchen is making mornings just a little bit easier around here. I told you earlier this week about our new iCoffee brewer (if you don’t yet know what the iCoffee is, head over to Monday’s post to learn about it). I’m not kidding when I say that having a programmable coffee maker that brews a quality cup of coffee really is a morning blessing. I may not be allowed to have caffeine (the curse of a bad stomach), but just the smell of the coffee brewing in the morning makes getting out of bed a little bit easier. Knowing that he can rely on a perfect cup of coffee every morning – and can avoid having to drink the bitter, often-burnt coffee at work – makes Boyfriend that much more pleasant for early-morning wakeup calls.
Excuse me while I go write a sonnet for our coffee maker.
One thing I should note about the iCoffee is that it sings to you in the morning. Yes, sings. When it starts brewing, it plays a few notes of Mozart, then plays them again when the brewing cycle ends (side note: it is pretty nice to be told when the coffee is finished brewing, although this is a feature you can turn off if you happen to be a music grinch).
A few weekends ago, Boyfriend had some early morning training sessions at work (he is a personal trainer), so, of course, his rustling around to get ready in the morning was already starting to wake me up when I heard the iCoffee singing and the aroma of freshly-brewed coffee wafted over to me.
Even though it was only 7:00 am (a challenging hour on a work day, much less a normal Saturday), I decided to make the most of things and be productive in my kitchen. I pulled out a muffin recipe that I had been eyeing, gathered my ingredients, and got to work, fueled by the mere aroma of coffee.
(Side note two: If the aroma of coffee is enough to wake me up, it is probably a good thing that I don’t actually drink it or else I would be a complete nutcase.)
The result of my early-morning productivity was this batch of muffins. The original recipe called them “Houseguest Breakfast Muffins”, which I rather liked – probably because my parents were coming to visit and I knew I would end up offering these muffins for breakfast and snacks.
As far as muffins go, these are decently healthy; full of whole wheat flour, bananas, diced pear, nuts, and relatively little fat or sugar, these are muffins that you can feel good about eating for breakfast or as a mid-afternoon snack. Make them for guests or just make them for your family – either way, they’re a nice way to get your day started, alongside that ever-necessary cup of coffee.
Recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour’s Baking Sheet.
Houseguest Breakfast Muffins
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup solid coconut oil
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups white whole wheat flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup mashed ripe banana
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1/2 cup diced pear
- 1 small banana diced
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped cashews
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease the wells of a muffin tin or line with muffins liners. Set aside.
- Place cashews on a rimmed baking sheet. Place in the oven for 6-8 minutes while the oven is preheating, until golden and just fragrant. Allow to cool.
- In a large bowl, cream together the coconut oil and the brown sugar. Add in the egg and the vanilla; mix until well combined.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add in half of the flour mixture to the coconut oil mixture, mixing just until combined. Add the mashed banana, yogurt, and milk. Mix until just combined. Add the rest of the flour mixture, mixing until mostly combined, then fold in the diced pear, diced banana, and toasted cashews.
- Divide batter evenly into the muffin tin. Wells will seem very full. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove to a rack to cool.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
I received an iCoffee by Remington to review but received no other compensation for this post. All opinions are 100% my own.
Lol I’m like you-coffee would probs make me go *boiiing!* but I love the smell! (unfortunately Michael doesn’t drink it either so a coffee candle is the only way for me to get it)
these muffins look super tasty and like the perfect quick breakfast treat 🙂
OK, I want my coffee maker to sing. I’m a chirpster in the AM…just as soon as I get my brew on. On another note, I’m kind of obsessed with these muffins. PEARS? Love!
I think the singing coffee maker is perfect for the chirpsters like you. Y’all can sing together. 😉
I am one of those annoying morning people. Can’t help it, I know. Anyway, these muffins look amazing!
Haha, the funny thing is I know that chirpy people can’t help it any more than I can help wanting to hide under the covers until noon. I’ll forgive you. 😉
I neeeeeed a coffee maker that siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiings!!!!! !! ! Seriously! My day doesn’t start until I’ve had half a pot of coffee and having a little Mozart ring-a-linging in my ears while the coffee gets to brewing sounds like Pavlovian bliss to me.
These bk muffins look like insaaaaaanityyyyyyy!! I love all the goodies all snuggled up in them. I want to slather them with butter and honey and hum along to the iCoffee.
P.S. I’m the annoying person who wakes up waaaaaay too early every day of her life, so it’s a good thing I’m accustomed to a different time zone or else I’m going to be straight up obnoxious when I finally go see you guys. 😉
I think you really might be my mother’s child.
In my defense, my mom seems to be the queen of chirpy morning people. What chance did I stand?! Also, remember being woken up by that creepy talking teddy bear?
It’s true. You were doomed from the start. Good thing I still love you. 😛
And I’m still seeking therapy for being woken up by that creepy bear.
I am SO not a morning person. My friends still make fun of me for emerging from my college dorm room every day with a towel wrapped over my face on my way to the shower because I was so angry with the morning. But a cup of coffee and a muffin sets everything right — especially these yummy yums you’re showcasing.
I knew I loved you.
Love that these muffins have pears in them! These sound like a great breakfast!
The original recipe called for apples. I was disappointed that I didn’t have any on hand…until I remembered a lone pear in my fridge! Hooray! Even better.
I am soooo not a morning person either, but I have always wished I was. They get so much done! These muffins look great – I love a cake masquerading as a muffin as much as the next girl, but it’s nice to have some recipes that can actually be a healthy breakfast!
YES. Morning productivity – a rare thing in this house. I wish that was different! Maybe when I have kids someday…….. (yikes)
Bananas, pears, and nuts!! I love this combo. I also fear I tell the same stories over and over on the blog. I feel like it is bound to happen, especially now that 50% of my brain is focused on Andy. hahaha! I have an espresso scented candle that I love it totally wakes me up!
I need a baby to excuse my nuttiness. Can I borrow Andy for a bit? Haha.
I so messed up this recipe. Used oat flour instead of white! I forgot the basic rule of a new recipe…follow the recipe exactly the first time!
Oh no! I always employ the “measure twice, cut once” approach to recipes…”read twice, bake once”. I do hope you try them again!
Wow I had no idea there were coffee makers that sing, I think I need to invest in one! I’m definitely not a chirpy morning person, it’s best not to speak to me until at least 9:00 am. However if I had a couple of these muffins offered to me and a singing coffee maker in the background I might be more approachable!