From Super Natural Cooking by Heidi Swanson ($20, Celestial Arts, 2007)

35 minutes prep time  |  Makes 12 muffins

What you need:

• 2 c white whole-wheat flour
   
• 2 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
   
• 1/2 tsp fine-grain sea salt
   
• 1-1/4 c chopped toasted walnuts*
   
• 1 Tbsp fine espresso powder
   
• 6 Tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature
   
• 3/4 c natural cane sugar
   
• 2 large eggs
   
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
   
• 1 c plain low-fat yogurt
   
• 1-1/2 c mashed overripe bananas (about 3 large bananas)

What you do:

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Position racks low in oven. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.
    
2. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, 3/4 cup of toasted walnuts, and espresso powder in a bowl. Whisk to combine.
    
3. In separate large bowl or stand mixer, cream butter until light and fluffy. Beat in sugar and then eggs, one at a time. Stir in vanilla, yogurt, and mashed bananas, then briefly and gently mix in dry ingredients. Don’t overmix or muffins will be tough.
    
4. Spoon mixture into prepared muffin cups, about 2/3 full. Top with remaining 1/2 cup toasted walnuts, and bake until golden, about 25 minutes. Cool in muffin pan for 5 minutes and then turn out onto wire rack to cool completely.
    
5. Variation: Fold in 1/2 cup dark chocolate chunks with dry ingredients.
    
6. * To toast walnuts, place in preheated 350° oven in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast just a few minutes until they begin to darken and become fragrant. Stir nuts once or twice during baking so they’ll toast evenly.

Per serving: 280 Calories, 7 g Protein, 34 g Carbohydrates, 4 g Fiber, 14 g Total fat (5 g sat, 3 g mono, 5 g poly), 164 mg Sodium, Manganese, Copper, Selenium, Vitamin B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B6, B12, Biotin, Pantothenic acid, Iodine, Magnesium, Molybdenum, Phosphorus, Zinc