Okay, so these muffins are not really 15,000 years old, but the original recipe I got them from is billed as one of those paleo recipes, so I figured it must be very, very, very old.
I don’t really mean to mock the whole paleo thing, not the least bit because I’ve heard if you are mean to the paleo people they will eat you for breakfast. No, I honestly couldn’t care less what people choose to eat or not eat; it’s entirely their business and not mine. Not sure why they want to eat the food of an ancient age where people generally died at the ripe old age of 25… oh, but read this for a laugh because I did.
Please, when did we start taking food so seriously? When did people become so defensive and evangelical about what they eat? When did food become a lifestyle choice?
For the record, we choose to eat as close to nature as possible about 90% of the time and complete and utter junk about 10% of the time. And my uncle is a QLD cane farmer, so raw, unrefined sugar is the sweetener of choice around here. You could say I have not quit sugar.
I digress. These muffins are full of good stuff and as I make them in a mini-muffin tin, I’m happy to offer them as part of the 90% healthy lunchbox as the 10% junk treat. I’m a huge fan of the taste and texture of things baked using coconut oil, so while you can substitute butter, do try and get your hands on a jar. I think I’m naturally quite paleo.
One last thing: I confess that the choc chips I added to the top before baking were neither paleo-approved, sugar-free nor gluten-free. They are just fattiboomstickalala choc chips. Keeping it real.
Chocolate, banana and zucchini muffins
Makes about 24 mini-muffins or 12 muffin-muffins
2 very ripe bananas
1 large zucchini cooked until soft and mashed, drain excess moisture
2 tablespoons coconut oil (you can substitute melted butter if not following a paleotastic diet)
1/3 cup honey
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup almond meal (substitute flour if no almond meal is forthcoming)
¼ cup plain flour (coconut flour if living the paleo way)
1/3 cup cacao powder (cocoa is okay too)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/4 cup chocolate chips (make them mini if you can)
Extra chocolate chips for adding to the top if you want (not essential)
Preheat fan-forced oven to 180°C. Use a non-stick mini-muffin or muffin tin – if your tin is unreliable in the non-stick department (as mine tends to be), spray lightly with some canola or other light vegetable oil.
Beat the bananas and zucchini together until creamy. Add the oil, honey, egg, and vanilla and keep beating until well combined.
Stir through the almond meal, flour, cacao, baking powder and bicarb soda until just combined. Don’t over-stir – these are muffins we’re making! Add in the choc chips at the last minute and evenly distribute them through the mix.
Use a teaspoon to spoon the batter into the mini-muffin tin – you can use a bigger spoon if you are making bigger muffins. Dot each muffin with a few of the extra choc chips.
Bake for about 10 minutes if making minis or about 16 minutes if making maxis. These muffins are much yummier if they are slightly under-cooked. Serve warm if you can, or keep some for the lunchbox. They freeze beautifully for up to a month.
Add this recipe to your Yummly feed: Yum
Mini-survey time: Do you think the Paleo People are onto something? Yes / No.
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Bec @ Seeing the Lighter Side says
Ba ha ha! I’m still picturing cavemen eating chocolate muffins and grunting at each other. This recipe looks great. I vote “No” on the paleo movement.
Maxabella says
Cavemen would LOVE these muffins. x
Bec @ Seeing the Lighter Side says
I’m hoping my kids will too – sounds like a brilliant way to get vegies into them.
Megan Blandford says
No to going full paleo, but yes to some of their recipes! These look delicious!
Maxabella says
I love the food so we are part-time paleos but I’m not interested in the ‘movement’ so to speak. x
Erin says
As you asked;) I do think that some people have sensitivities and sometimes allergies to grains, dairy, sugar yes. Don’t agree with the ‘science’ behind the idea of ‘eat like your ancestors’ but I do agree that modern farming techniques are having an impact and the health of many is compromised. I do believe that eliminating certain foods, maybe only for a time can have a positive impact. xx
Maxabella says
Which all makes total sense, of course. x
Amanda @ Cooker and a Looker says
Are they onto something? Maybe.
Are they taking the piss with Paelo Margaritas? You bet!
Jokes aside, I don’t care what people eat. If being a caveman gets you into the kitchen and making healthy food for your family, then rock on! (Rock, gettit? Caveman? Rock? Oh, I think its time for another coffee!) xx
Maxabella says
‘Rock’, she said ‘rock’ bwahahaahaaha, etc. And I’m with you, just get on with the business of eating / refuelling and please stop insisting that the way you eat / refuel is superior to the way I eat… I don’t refuel… x
Zoe Meunier says
I think they’re on to something in that yes, whole foods are best and processed foods should be minimised. But we knew that ANYWAY. It’s the exclusivity and evangelicalism of it all that’s annoying. Our ancestors may not have eaten bread, but I’m pretty sure they didn’t slurp on bone broth while eating a coconut oil and cacao powder muffin packed with chia seeds either. Regardless, these muffins look YUM and that’s all that matters.
Maxabella says
Such good points, Zoe. Maybe they should have nipped the whole ‘paleo’ charade in the bud. It’s your basic no-carb kinda lifestyle, so let’s just get on with it. x
Sueanne @ Call me Suzie says
I could never go completely sugar-free either. Hubby went cold-turkey in his tea and coffee, but I have gotten as far as from 2 teaspoons in both, to half in my tea and one in my coffee. It doesn’t taste right getting rid of any more (but on the plus side, it is way too sweet if someone gives me 2!) Plus, there are just some cakes that need sugar in them to taste right also, haha! I love chocolate too much too… That said though, I do try to limit sugar in our diet to a degree, because I am of the belief that sugar is the biggest contributor to weight gain, food-wise. And that is all I will say on the matter 🙂 Each to their own and I couldn’t care less if someone wants to be sugar-free, gluten-free, dairy-free or eat like a caveman. PS. I’ll be trying out those muffins – just need to get my hands on some coconut oil (I want to see how it tastes); I have the rest!
Maxabella says
I really like coconut oil and think it creates a unique flavour in baked goods, so it’s worth seeking some out. I know Woolies Macro Wholefoods range sells a jar of it, try there? x
Sueanne @ Call me Suzie says
We only have an IGA – and it had some! Winning!! Will let you know how they go 🙂
Sam Stone says
No I don’t think they are on to anything!
I am going to give these muffins a red hot go though.
Maxabella says
They are really good, Sam. I consider myself open to foods from all food religions, so Paleo is often on the menu. x
Sam Stone says
I am just back to write out the recipe to make the gluten free version!!
Maxabella says
Let me know if you make them, Sam!! x
Sam Stone says
Hi Bron,
I did and they were fantastic…and now I am back to get the recipe again to make them in the office RSPCA Cupcake bake-off!
Love
SAM 🙂
Maxabella says
Fantastic stuff, Sam. They are really delicious and are sure to be a hit at the bake-off. What on earth is that!? Sounds fun! x
Robyn says
15,000 year old paleo recipe – hahaha, too funny!! They do look awesome though and I will definitely make them and pass them on to my kids for the taste test. As for paleo……. I don’t mean to ruffle anyones feathers but I think it’s a load of old *****. Some of their recipes are fabulous I will admit, but to be so rigid ALL the time is a bit ridiculous I think xx
Maxabella says
Ridiculous. But if it looks good, I’ll bake it! x
Sammie @ The Annoyed Thyroid says
I think eating is a choice for the individual, if you like it and it likes your body, eat it. If you don’t and it doesn’t then don’t. I’m all for making healthy choices when I can, except of course when it comes to baked goods, especially when they looks as delicious as these, and then, it’s all about the muffin lovin’! Besides these are healthy muffins are they not? Not just because they’re caveman approved but because they contain one of our five a day!
Maxabella says
They are healthy, I think… if you believe that cacao is actually healthier than cocoa and coconut oil is actually healthier than butter and honey is actually healthier than sugar… if you know what I mean!! x
Holly says
Totally with you on this one! Each to their own – I love eating healthily, I love how I feel when I eat healthily. I also love eating unhealthily and I think my balance is about 80-20, but I am fine with that! I would have made these with fatty boom boom chocolate chips because to my mind they rule.
Maxabella says
You’ve always gotta leave room forthe fattyboomstickalala food, Holly. x
Lisa@RandomActsOfZen says
Well, I don’t care how many thousand-years-old your chocolate is, these look gooood, and I’ll be making them!
I’m all for any way of eating that gets us all onto more fresh produce, but getting pretty bored with the whole movement deal. They’re a passionate bunch though, are they not? x
Maxabella says
Very, very passionate. Sorta passionate like a stalker. x
Cat from That Bettie Thing says
I love coconut oil too. But fattiboomstickalala anything is a complete favourite of mine!
Maxabella says
Then we are in agreement, Cat. x
Dannielle@Zamamabakes says
‘because I’ve heard if you are mean to the paleo people they will eat you for breakfast’, giggling all the way Bron, love your way with words.
I like some of the paleo idea’s/recipes but I have not quit sugar and never will, some days I try to eat less sugar and some days I try to eat more it really just depends what time of the month it is doesn’t it?
I’m with you for the 90:10 ratio, although I think ours might be more 80:20 🙂
Loving the sounds of your 15000 year old muffins and I’m quite sure my kidlets would too.
Have a great weekend lovely lady xx
Maxabella says
Yeah, okay, ours is probably more like 10:90 but who’s tracking, right!?!
KezUnprepared says
Yes. Why is everything such a cult now? Can’t we choose to eat nice, healthy food without labelling ourselves? Or drink nutritional drinks or use certain kitchen equipment? Or store our food in whatever we like? Without being recruited or worse, told we must GO ALL THE WAY WITH EVERYTHING?
Those muffins look well balanced to me 😉
Maxabella says
They are indeed well balanced with a cup of tea, Kez. Just as, I imagine, a non-paleo buttery goodness muffin is too. x
Malinda @mybrownpaperpackages says
My girls actually love choc zucchini muffins, even the boomtastic free ones. Me, give me a little boombastic anyday.
Maxabella says
Any kinda boom is good to keep a day bopping along, really. x
Kristy @ Loulou Zoo says
You know my thoughts on food so I won’t repeat myself…hmmm…
Now as for these muffins – I’ve never cooked with banana and zucchini together so that’s interesting, I’m going to give them a go (with a few substitutions to suit my not quite paleo/sugar-free/whatever way of eating he he).
Yum x
Erin says
Made them, love em! I topped with a walnut and mixed in CHUNKY dark choc. Used whole wheat flour instead of plain. Delicious with a spread of butter!!