Banana Pomegranate Oat Muffins

I’m on this quest to introduce new foods to my family all the time.  However, it seems I’ve never given them pomegranate.  Go figure.

Robb says pomegranates are more trouble than they’re worth.  He’s wrong.

I took all the arils out of one pomegranate, and debated about what to do with them.  I mean, I can’t just leave them sitting there, to eat plain.  Not that there’s anything wrong with eating them plain (we ate quite a few).  It’s just that I like to bake, and pomegranates are seriously beautiful.

There’s a school of thought that says that pomegranates are the original tempting fruit from the Garden of Eden.  I sort of disagree, because something that is that hard to eat is actually not that tempting right off the tree…  but I get their point.  This fruit is gorgeous, delicious, sweet, tart, everything a fruit should be.

And speaking of troubles with fruits… I’ve been getting very distressed about my inability to keep bananas around long enough to bake with.  Last time, I bought two bunches of bananas, one for eating, and one for getting ripe and baking with.  An Entire Dozen bananas.  When I was down to my last three browning bananas, The Fruitarian asked me if he could have one.  “There’s only one banana left, Mom.  Can I have it?”

“What do you mean, there’s only one left?!!”  I think Robb was nervous to admit that he ate two of them with milk and sugar only a few minutes earlier.

I.  Give.  Up.  Baking with bananas is just a dream now.

When I looked at this gorgeous bowl of pomegranate arils, I just knew I had to make banana pomegranate muffins, and I couldn’t wait 4-5 days for the bananas to ripen.  SO…  I didn’t.  I just took a couple fresh, almost green bananas, and diced them up.

Take that, family.

The verdict?  It’s really better with over ripe bananas that you can smash and mix in.  But this is okay too.  Perhaps I’ll go back to writing messages on the banana peels telling people to keep their grimy paws OFF.  Wonder if it will work?

Banana Pomegranate Oat Muffins

 

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Cook time

20 mins

Total time

20 mins

 

An oaty banana muffin with pomegranate syrup.

Recipe type: Breakfast

Serves: 12

Ingredients

POMEGRANATE SYRUP:

• 1 cup pomegranate arils
• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ cup water

MUFFINS:

• ½ cup butter, softened
• 2-3 very ripe bananas
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• ¾ cup quick oats
• 1½ cups flour
• ½ cup chocolate chips
• ½ cup pomegranate syrup (see above)

Instructions

1. For pomegranate syrup: Combine arils, sugar, and water in a pot. Bring to a boil, and let simmer for about 10 minutes, until syrup becomes thick and dark. Remove from heat.
2. For muffins: Cream butter and sugar. Add bananas and eggs, and mix well.
3. Add soda, baking powder, and oats and mix well. Add flour and mix until combined.
4. Add ½ cup of the pomegranate syrup, and mix well. Fold in chocolate chips.
5. Divide batter evenly between 12 muffin cups. Bake at 375 for 18-22 minutes, until lightly brown on top.

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 If you enjoy this recipe, you might also enjoy:

Pomegranate Blueberry Coconut Muffins from Family Fresh Cooking

Chocolate Pomegranate Oatmeal Cookies from Hidden Ponies

Honey Coconut Quinoa with Pomegranate from Eden Kitchen

This post linked up at: Lady Behind the Curtain; Back For Seconds; Ratthelbridge Farm; Romantic Home; Shabby Nest; Between Naps on the Porch; Skip to my Lou;