This post could have been called Muffins for Melanie and Massages for Meghan, but in keeping with my theme that was started by Cookies for Catherine, I kept it short. Melanie Leeder rocks my world. Actually… no. What she really does is calms it way down. I am forever showing off the awesomely cool ladies in my life, but there really may not be anything better than a friend who gives great massages. There you are… let that envy out a little.
Melanie is a healer extraordinaire. She does massage combined with super powered energy work and aromatherapy. What’s even more awesome is that, when she isn’t healing the world through her practice in Toronto, she spends a healthy dose of her summer in cottage country doing dock-side massages in Muskoka. That’s right, you heard me. You call her up and she will come to your cottage and rub you all over with sweet smelling oil blends mixed up just right for whatever vibe is needed. She will put you in a trance!
This past weekend, my mom and I were invited to hang in the Skokes (no one actually calls it that, but I am going to from now on) for a weekend of healthy living with Mel and her mom. It was like a mini retreat. We brought up our bikes and spent the weekend eating healthful delicious food, sitting in the sun, chatting about all sorts of great things, looking at flowers, cycling, reading, sleeping and getting sweetly massaged, dock-side, by Melanie.
Look at me on that table? Do I look all googley-eyed-blissed-out or what? What really could be better than an early morning dockside massage?
Well, actually the only thing that might make it better would be a gluten-freen, currant sweetened, banana banana banana muffin. And wouldn’t you know, that is just what I baked up for Melanine and her mom. Following my sweet massage, we all dug in to these goodies.
Banana Banana Banana Muffins with Currant Cranberry Spread
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
Keywords: bake condiment snack dessert gluten-free low-sodium soy-free vegetarian banana whole food
Ingredients (serves 12)
For the Muffins
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 cup brown rice flour
- 1 cup buckwheat flour
- 1/4 cup sucanat (or sweetener of choice)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 3 bananas, mashed
- 3 eggs, whisked (or equivalent egg replacer)
- 1/4 cup currants, soaked (or simply pour boiling water over currants and allow to sit for 10 mins)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 Tbs coconut oil
- 2 Tbs apple sauce or milk sub of choice
For the Currant Cranberry Spread
- 1/2 cup currant, soaked 2-3 hours
- 1/2 cup cranberries, soaked 2-3 hours
- zest of one orange
Instructions
For the Muffins
Preheat oven to 350.
Mix dry ingredients together in one bowl and wet in the other.
Combine to gether but don’t over mix.
Spoon batter into lined muffin tin.
Bake for 15-20 minutes until tooth pick inserted comes out clean.
Allow to sit in tin for five minutes after removed from oven and then move to cooling rack.
Store in airtight container in the fridge or freeze once cooled to enjoy later.
For the Spread
Drain soaking water from fruit and give a quick rinse.
Add fruit to food processor or vitamix and mix together.
Remove from processor and transfer to jar or bowl and stir in the zest. Allow to sit for an hour or so in the fridge before serving.
Will keep for 1 week in a sealed jar in the fridge.
Here are some more photos.
Mel and I
I loved that bridge behind me.
My superfit momma.
Georgain Bay
16 responses to “Banana Muffins with Currant Cranberry Spread”
Wow, I could really use one of Melanie’s massages right now! Your trip looks so fabulous and energizing! And the muffins? Mmm I can see a veganized version being whipped up in my kitchen soon :)
Really? I had to start my day looking at this and now I am filled with envy. Does Melanie have a massage/aromatherapy for ency because I’m needing it about now. OMG, a massage by the dock? I’m not sure I can think of anything more relaxing.
Looks like an incredible weekend. Um, can I come next time? Because wow.
1 – Massages by the water? Amazing. You look so happy and relaxed. Does Melanie make office visits?
2 – Your pictures from the ‘Skokes’ are stunning
3 – Yummy muffins!! Will definitely have to give those a whirl…
Haha… I imagine you being relaxed and blissed-out, until a boat comes by and makes waves under that dock. Then I imagine you being unsettled and needing ginger pills. :)
Looks amazing, both the muffins and the Skokes.
The dock wasn’t floating :) Solid as the earth itself.
All I can add is I am all about retreating with ladies. It was wonderful spending time with Mel and her wonderful energized mom who never stopped moving. The massage was pretty great. Try a local retreat, go alone or with a friend or female family member. There is something so wonderful about checking in with women and giving yourself the chance to just “be”. Eating well and a little yoga or cycling makes it even better. Meghan’s St. Lucia retreat in January will be the grand version of this mini retreat.
Check it out.
First of all Meg- you all look so beautiful and refreshed! I am loving the biking outfits… so cute! My workout clothes are old t-shirts and baggy shorts!!
These muffins sounds scrumptious and I would totally trade a muffin for a massage, sounds fair and square to me.
Sorry for asking again but I’m wondering, what is the fridge life of your homemade ketchup? Can I keep a jar in my fridge all summer? (Just anxious to know because I have a huge supply of tomatoes in my kitchen ripening by the minute! I might half the batch depending on your answer)
I loveee your butterfly photo– I want to print it and put it on the wall, so pretty!! Thanks girlie xoxo
what a great time! Hiking, biking, sunshine and massages and Mom time!
what could be better?
and I also LOVE that butterfly pic…. it’s so lovely!
Happy Wendesday
So sorry- I keep forgetting to respond. And Yes! Keep it in the fridge all summer. Other options I would recommend is putting it in smaller jars. The more you open and close the same jar, the quicker it will go off. So put it in smaller jars and just use one at a time. Second thing you can try is freezing some it. That works well too. Enjoy!
wow that looks like an awesome little getaway. You looked so cute in your workout gear and those muffins look delicious! I will definitly be making some of these soon. I am going to a Hot Springs Spa on Friday. It should be very relaxing but its definitly not as scenic as the Skokes.
That cottage weekend sounds awesome. I want a cottage in the Muskokas JUST for that experience. (Okay, not just. For years I’ve been saying that I need to make friends with cottages.)
My stress level dropped just looking at those photos and reading the post. It’s the power of suggestion.
I will check her services out and tell my mom!
(Being into energy healing, integrative medicine and all.)
wow absolutely beautiful pictures!!!
Those muffins (and the fruit spread) sound delicious – looking forward to making them myself!
(Here via Green as a Thistle, and glad for it!)
I made a two-thirds batch of this, used dark chocochips instead of currants, added molasses, greased a loafpan,baked an additional 10-15ish minutes and made chocolate chip banana bread! thanks!
Love it. Will be watching the mail for my slice!
Hi Meghan, thanks, these are yummy! I made them using (fresh ground) quinoa flour instead of buckwheat flour. I used palm sugar for the sweetener. I used flax/water instead of eggs. I omitted the currants and the last 2 tbl of liquid.