Recipe of the week: Banana chocolate muffins

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The addition of quinoa and sweet potato means David Atherton’s muffins are healthier than your average bake.

“If you are looking for a quick, no-faff, healthy baked treat, these could be your answer,” says Bake Off’s David Atherton. “The building blocks for these cakes are not just butter and sugar, but banana, sweet potato, yogurt, olive oil and cooked quinoa.”

Ingredients:

(makes 10)

100g dark chocolate, chopped into chunks

130g plain (all-purpose) flour

30g cocoa powder

100g soft brown sugar

2tsp baking powder

1 very ripe banana, chopped

30g natural yogurt

50ml light olive oil

1 large egg

1tsp vanilla extract

100g cooked quinoa

50g finely grated sweet potato

Runny honey, to glaze (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C fan (220°C/425°F/gas mark 7). Prepare a muffin tray either by greasing or filling 10 holes with paper cases.

2. Add the chocolate to a mixing bowl with the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, and toss together. Blend the banana, yogurt, oil, egg, vanilla and quinoa until smooth, then add to a bowl with the sweet potato. Combine the wet and dry ingredients with a wooden spoon until just mixed, then divide between the paper cases or muffin tin holes.

3. Bake for five minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 150°C fan (170°C/325°F/gas mark 3) and bake for a further 12-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. If you like, glaze the tops with honey while they’re still a little warm.

Good To Eat by David Atherton, photography by Ant Duncan, is published by Hodder & Stoughton, priced £25.

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