Monday, March 25, 2019

Sugar Free Banana Pecan Muffins #MuffinMonday

Sugar Free Banana Pecan Muffins #MuffinMonday

A naturally sweetened whole grain muffin full of bananas, dates, and toasted pecans.

Image of a muffin pan filled with sugar free banana date pecan muffins



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Today's muffin is a a delicious blast from the past. As my daughter was revising my drop down recipe index during her Spring Break she commented, 'you have a lot of muffins'. Since she's been the beneficiary of most of those muffins, I rolled my eyes at her and went back to my book. However, it did remind me that I've been wanting to share this recipe for Muffin Monday.


This recipe does not use granulated sugar. Nor does it use any sugar substitute your grandma wouldn't recognize--unless your grandma lived in the 1800s in a northern climate away from rail transportation and never saw a banana. Most folks alive and reading this on a screen probably have grandmas who grew up with dates, too. These fruits are what I used to sweeten this muffin, on purpose, and I think they make an excellent combination.



When I initially made these muffins I was training for and then walking in my first half marathon. I read thru my words from 5+ years ago and they still spark joy for me, so I am leaving them on this page as it is my website. However, I'm sure you're here for a sugarless whole wheat muffin recipe, so the words are now relegated to the bottom of the post and we'll have a Muffin Monday recipe instead.


For more recipes using bananas, please see my Banana Recipes Collection. For more recipes using dates, please see my Recipes Using Dates Collection. These collections are part of the Visual Recipe Index by Ingredient, a resource for folks like me eating from the farm share, the farmer's market, the garden, the neighbor's garden, and great deals on ugly produce at the grocery store.

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A naturally sweetened whole grain muffin full of bananas, dates, and toasted pecans.


Notes: I like to eat these muffins spread with peanut butter. As with many baked goods using bananas or other fruits, these muffins are better the next day. I've gotten into the habit of making my banana muffins in the afternoon/evening and then eating them the following day.

Photo of a naturally sweetened whole grain muffin full of bananas, dates, and toasted pecans.




Muffin Monday
#MuffinMonday is a group of muffin loving bakers who get together once a month to bake muffins. You can see all our of lovely muffins by following our Pinterest board. Updated links for all of our past events and more information about Muffin Monday can be found on our home page.


image of a skillet of toasted pecans, a bowl of mashed bananas, and a cutting board of chopped dates




(from the original post) Why did I change things up and start with the recipe? Because, my subtitle for these muffins would be Marathon Muffins, and I'm not really sure if the majority of folks coming to check it out are interested in the back story. So recipe first, writing second today.


photo of a muffin pan filled with sugar free banana date pecan muffins



What did you do over the weekend? Kick back, relax? Me, I went for a stroll on a rainy Saturday morning. A 13.1 mile stroll (plus a good half mile to/from the event itself). Yes, I walked (no running, thanksverymuch) the 2013 USAF Half Marathon, and I'm here to tell you that these muffins enabled me to have my Personal Best Time. Apparently all that dog walking and milk lugging over the past 6-7 months paid off.
I should probably point out that this was my first rodeo half marathon, so any time would be a Personal Record, but I'll credit the muffins anyway.
These banana pecan date muffins contain nothing besides the sweet ripe fruit to make them delicious.  The morning before the race/stroll I grabbed one, broke it in half, smeared peanut butter on half, and choked it down ate it.  [I was nervous, and the PB kinda glued my mouth shut.]  I'm not much of a breakfast eater the first few hours I'm awake, so I saved the second half of muffin.  It was delicious by the time I finally got back to the car.  And the next day the muffins were even better, as baked goods containing bananas and nuts often are.  Try this plain--or with peanut butter--before walking a half marathon or as an after school snack.  It's up to you--but remember the Personal Record guarantee.  I stand behind it!


USAF Half Marathon Finisher

Yes, I have 2 bibs and 2 medals--the spouse walked his half marathon, bibless on a treadmill, in his exotic foreign locale and I wore his bib underneath mine so he'd get credit for his efforts. I was a second faster, though, under 3 and a quarter hours! We earned those beers . . . that I drank for the both of us.

24 comments:

  1. These look wonderful! Everyone is using dates these days.. I have got to get on the bandwagon, I am very curious about how they taste. Walking is actually better for you than running, not so hard on bones/joints. Good for you!

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    1. Sherri,
      Dates taste nearly like pure sugar to me, perhaps with a slight molasses hint? I've got a big bucket from Costco on the counter and we keep snagging one or two as we walk by.
      My joints feel completely fine post event. My muscles? Sore! But the joints they are attached to are doing great.
      Thanks!

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  2. YUM :) I love anything with dates!!! Thanks for sharing. I'm pinning to make these, because I'm looking for sugar-free recipes :)

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    1. Lisa,
      I admit my first sugar free muffin recipe was an oversight, but after I realized that it wasn't the end of the world to make a muffin without sugar, I decided to experiment. This is the first time I haven't used any sweetener of any kind (other than the fruit in it's natural form). It won't be the last, though!
      Thanks for stopping by!

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  3. So very proud of you, Kir! And it brings tears to my eyes -- and a certain tough Marine’s as well -- that The Spouse did half while deployed while you did half while guarding the home front. THAT is partnership.

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    1. Aww, Alanna you are sweet! It made my friend Debbie laugh, a lot, to picture me holding his bib out behind me as I crossed the finish line (you know, so I was first ;) I'd like to think he'd want it that way.
      Thanks!

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  4. I am in awe of your half-marathon success! Go, Kirsten! Good for you for you for doing it! I think the longest I have even walked has been about 6 miles. Not sure I want to do any more. :) And yay for a muffin recipe with no extra sugar. Bananas and dates are so sweet. And in a way, so are pecans. Yum!
    Sarah

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    1. Sarah,
      Shucks, I'm in awe of the folks who 1) ran the thing, and 2) ran double the distance for a full marathon! I was worried about being able to do the distance, so a few weeks earlier I did what I'm calling the HouseSpouseTriHalfMarathon. I started a load of laundry, walked the dog 5 miles, came home/dropped off dog/flipped laundry, walked 6 miles, came home/flipped laundry/picked up dog, walked a mile to the grocery store, bought a gallon of milk, and walked the 13th mile home with a gallon of milk and a dog. I figured if I could survive that, then merely walking, all by myself, was doable.
      And it was! In the past few days, though, I think I've only walked 3 miles in a row.
      Thanks!

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  5. Congratulations on your half marathon!! And that is so sweet that your hubby walked it on a treadmill too, since he couldn't be there in person. Love it! These muffins look great. Anything banana baked good is certain to be terrific, and I'm sure the addition of dates is great. I love baking with dates, though I do not just eat them straight up.

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    1. Julie,
      Thanks! I was glad that, due to the time difference, he was at work while I was walking. I was able to send him photos and updates during the event.
      I've been so slack this week that their are more bananas perfect for baking--time to get busy!

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  6. Congratulations on your first half marathon - that is awesome! And these muffins look SO good - so glad they brought you a personal best time. =)

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  7. Muffins first. Story second. I am all thrown off, and I'm extremely excited for your first half marathon. Congratulations!! You did awesome and I absolutely hold the muffin responsible...well that and your evening dog walks lugging a gallon of milk. Those certainly didn't hurt.
    The muffins sound really good and I have just a tiny bit of buttermilk left in the fridge so I now I just need to let some bananas ripen.

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    1. Meghan,
      If you have a tiny bit of buttermilk and no bananas, may I recommend Lydia's Roasted Green Beans and Potatoes with Creamy Sesame Dressing? Here's the link. http://www.theperfectpantry.com/2013/09/recipe-for-roasted-green-beans-and-potatoes-with-creamy-sesame-dressing.html It's delicious--and I made a beet and barley salad with the extra dressing which is also pretty tasty.

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  8. Ooh, yum! I just bought a whole bunch of pecans, I LOVE the banana pecan combination. I should make this!

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    1. Cathleen,
      Lucky you! I never seem to have enough nuts in my life.
      Thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  9. Yummy muffins and WAY TO GO ON THE HALF MARATHON! Does it count as a full one if you wore two bibs??

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  10. Yummy muffins and WAY TO GO ON THE HALF MARATHON! Does it count as a full one if you wore two bibs??

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    1. Sharlea,
      Oh, I wish it would count! I can't imagine walking for more than 6 hours in one swoop, so I suppose 2 bibs is the closest I'll get to a full.
      Thanks!

      Delete
  11. My hero! I am always on the lookout for muffin recipes without the added sugar. And with the addition of bananas and dates, I am sure these muffins were deliciously sweet :)

    Thanks for sharing and linking up!

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    1. Heather,
      I'm thinking I should go crazy and make super sweet dessert muffins, but then my kids would think I'd been abducted by aliens and replaced by some strange sugar-using mom, so perhaps I should stick with what I know.
      Thanks for hosting!

      Delete
  12. I've just discovered your blog and really love it. Beautiful photos and delicious looking recipes.

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  13. Dates and bananas are a great combination for a naturally sweet muffin. And well done on the marathon! I am so impressed!

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  14. Very cute story about the marathon! Dates ARE very sweet and a perfect substitute for sugar.

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