One of my favorite Valentine’s Day memories is when my hubby, who can’t really cook, decided to make me a dessert as a surprise - it was a super yummy banana split.  This year I’m surprising him (surprise honey!) with these delicious clean banana split muffins!

Ingredients:

• 4 medium size ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 cup date sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2  cup grain sweetened chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup unsweetened dried cherries
• 1/4 cup no sugar added canned crushed pineapple, drained

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

   Rehydrate cherries in water

2. In a small bowl add dried cherries and just enough water so that the cherries are covered completely by water.  Let these sit until you’re ready to use them.
3. Line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners and set aside.

   Combine oil, date sugar, eggs and vanilla

4. In a large bowl combine date sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla. Beat in bananas.

   Stir in flour, baking powder and baking soda

5. Stir in flour, baking powder and baking soda.  Mix well.

   Fold in pecans, chocolate chips, pineapple and cherries

6. Lastly, fold in pecans, chocolate chips, pineapple and cherries (drained).  Combine to evenly distribute.

   Bake until muffin tops are golden brown

7. Pour batter into muffin cups, filled to 3/4 full.
8. Bake for about 30-40 minutes or until tops of muffins are golden brown.
9. Remove muffins from the baking pan and let cool on a rack for about 20 minutes.
10. Once muffins have cooled, serve topped with a spoonful of yogurt cheese if desired (see recipe here).

Nutritional Info:

Makes 18 - 20 muffins.

Nutrients per muffin:  Calories: 180, Cal. from Fat: 72, Total Fat: 8g, Sat. Fat: 1.5g, Carbs: 25g, Fiber: 2.5g, Sugars: 12g, Protein: 2.5g, Sodium: 23mg, Chol: 21mg