Coconut Banana Muffins with Lime Glaze

Rotten Bananas. Whenever anyone has bananas at home that have turned brown, someone says 'We should make banana bread'. Then someone puts them in the freezer for that very common time in the near future when they get a crazy urge to bake. Well that usually doesn't happen. Then when you move to a new apartment a year later, you throw out those brown frozen bananas. I guess no one wanted to make banana bread.

Well this time I made banana bread. Then I decided to make banana muffins. I had just moved to a new city and decided that this would be a good time to try new things. I have never really baked much and don't really like how everything you bake is usually super high in fat. I found this recipe that incorporates coconut (which I love!) and is also low fat. They turned out great and I think I am going to have a lot of friends here once I bring these puppies to work.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour


• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda


• 1/2 teaspoon salt


• 1 cup granulated sugar


• 1/4 cup butter, softened


• 2 large eggs


• 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)


• 1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt


• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract


• 1/2 cup flaked sweetened coconut


• Cooking spray


• 1 tablespoon flaked sweetened coconut


• 1/2 cup powdered sugar


• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime

Preheat oven to 350°.  Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk. Place granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana, yogurt and vanilla; beat until blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist. Stir in 1/2 cup coconut. Spoon batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon coconut. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Combine powdered sugar and juice, stirring with a whisk; drizzle over warm bread. Cool completely on wire rack.

Nutritional Information (Amount per serving)

• Calories: 193


• Calories from fat: 21%


• Fat: 4.6g


• Saturated fat: 2.8g


• Monounsaturated fat: 1.1g


• Polyunsaturated fat: 0.3g


• Protein: 2.9g


• Carbohydrate: 35g


• Fiber: 1.1g


• Cholesterol: 35mg


• Iron: 1mg


• Sodium: 179mg


• Calcium: 15mg

Adapted from Jean Patterson, Cooking Light (SEPTEMBER 2007)