In the midst of a busy fall season, you might be looking for a tasty, nutritious, low-mess, and versatile baked good to fill in the gaps- breakfast, lunch, brunch, snack, or even breakfast for dinner!
Can one humble recipe do it all? Let’s find out.
Hypothesis 1: Banana french toast muffin cups will be delicious!
Hypothesis 2: Banana french toast muffin cups will be healthy and nutritious.
Hypothesis 2: Banana french toast muffin cups will be easy to make and clean up.
Hypothesis 3: Banana french toast muffin cups will be enjoyed by all through multiple meals!
Method:
Recipe source:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DeTqHYdyHVE/?srtk=emJ0Z2o0NTRuaGxv
I think I’ve seen a few versions of this online, but the version I used for this recipe test is from the creator @kathygordn on Instagram.
Allergen Adaptations:
Instead of the ½ cup of milk, I used soy milk to keep this recipe free of dairy and tree nuts. I used the 365 brand shelf-stable soy milk found here.
I also used 365 brand (house brand for Whole Foods) Organic Whole Wheat Bread.
Procedures:
Check out the creator’s original post to credit them with views!
As a preview, it’s a simple recipe. Mix up the batter of banana, soy milk, eggs, and a few add ins. Then, gently toss in cubed whole wheat bread.
Wet mixture
Gently fold in bread cubes
I said GENTLY!
After about 2 minutes of work, now you can portion and bake!
Results:
To be honest, they looked pretty decent, and tasted ok.
Discussion:
I’d say that hypotheses were partially supported.
Hypothesis 1:
My opinion was that these banana french toast muffin cups were very lightly sweetened from the banana. The texture was good, not too gummy, chewy, or moist. I think a little infusion of maple syrup into the batter or poured on top might have helped, or the creator’s suggestion of added berries, and/or with a dollop of whipped cream or sprinkled with powdered sugar.
Hypothesis 2:
You’ll see “healthy” or some version of the word touted for many recipes online, especially those geared at toddlers or women. But isn’t this such a subjective word? In my opinion, healthy and nutritious should be terms used relative to personal goals and values. With that being said, this recipe included no added sugar (unless you use some of my ideas above), and the bread was whole wheat. Therefore, it probably includes some amount of fiber and protein that would align with many goals of individuals and families.
Hypothesis 3:
Aced this hypothesis! For sure. We love making French toast on weekends but I don’t always enjoy the clean up that awkwardly happens right before we rush to eat while the food is still hot, or afterward when we’re all full and tired and ready to relax.
Hypothesis 4:
Ehhh… first of all, this recipe only yielded 9 muffins for me. So it definitely wouldn’t stretch very far, if we’d all loved it. And… Littlest Reviewer had mixed opinions, and Reviewer #1 definitely preferred our OG challah French toast on the griddle.
Future Directions:
This recipe taught me more about tempering expectations, and balancing these with effort. I thought Littlest Reviewer would LOVE these with some of his favorite ingredients combined. It turns out his opinions were more varied meal to meal, but at least I hadn’t slaved away in the kitchen. If I’m going to create something more involved, at least at this stage of life, it’ll be either because I really want to challenge myself, or because I know at least someone will love the outcome.
And I love that I can be that for you, testing out recipes with dairy free adjustments, so you know can make more informed decisions about what is worth your precious time and energy.
Another lesson: You get out what you put in. These were so simple and easy to clean, maybe I should have expected parallel results.
As mentioned above, if I make these again, I may mix in a little maple syrup into the wet ingredients, or consider additional toppings or pairings.
Allergen Information:
As indicated above, the banana french toast muffin cups with these modifications are free of dairy. The recipe also does not contain nuts, as long as you choose a nut-free milk alternative. These muffins do contain egg and wheat and I have not tried them with any relevant substitutes. Please let me know if you do!
TL;DR
Should you make these? If you want something easy, quick, low-mess, and at least someone will probably be willing to eat, go for it! Otherwise, here are some dairy free muffin recipes I more highly recommend: