I’m always looking for new and clever ideas for school lunchboxes. These mini muffin kebabs are a fun way to make bran and banana muffins a fun snack.

I’ve used coconut sugar for a low GI option, you can replace it with brown sugar in equal quantities. Feel free to add whichever nuts your kids love or even some dark chocolate choc chips for a special treat.

Double each recipe and use regular muffin tins to make full size muffins, just bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

Mini Banana Muffins

• 2 overripe bananas
• 125 ml brown sugar
• 60ml oil
• 5 ml vanilla extract
• 1 eggs
• 125 flour
• 60ml oats
• 60ml desiccated coconut
• 5ml cinnamon
• 2,5ml baking powder
• 2,5ml bicarbonate of soda
• Chopped walnuts (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 180º C and either grease a 12 hole muffin tin or place muffin liners into the tin.
2. Mash bananas and sugar.
3. In a large bowl, sift flour, cinnamon, baking powder and bicarb. Add oats and coconut.
4. To the bananas, add egg, oil and vanilla. Mix well.
5. Add chopped walnuts, pecan nuts or raisins at this stage if you wish.
6. Combine wet and dry ingredients and mix until completly combined.
7. Fill muffin tins ¾ full.
8. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden brown. I touch the top of the muffin gently with my finger, if it springs back quickly, it’s baked, if it doesn’t, leave the muffins for a bit longer.
9. Place hot muffins onto a wire cooling rack.

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Mini Bran Muffins

• 250 ml milk (instead of bananas)
• 125 ml brown sugar
• 60ml oil
• 5 ml vanilla extract
• 1 eggs
• 125 flour
• 60ml bran (instead of oats)
• 60ml desiccated coconut
• 5ml cinnamon
• 2,5ml baking powder
• 2,5ml bicarbonate of soda
• Chopped walnuts or raisins (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 180º C and either grease a 12 hole muffin tin or place muffin liners into the tin.
2. In a large bowl, sift flour, cinnamon, baking powder and bicarb.Add bran and coconut.
3. Beat together milk, eggs, oil and vanilla paste and add to dry ingredients.
4. Mix well, you can add chopped walnuts, pecan nuts or raisins at this stage if you wish.
5. Fill muffin tins ¾ full.
6. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden brown. I touch the top of the muffin gently with my finger, if it springs back quickly, it’s baked, if it doesn’t, leave the muffins for a bit longer.
7. Place hot muffins onto a wire cooling rack.

• 

Mini Blueberry muffins

To either the bran or the banana muffins, add 125ml blueberries. (if you use frozen berries, add 5 minutes to your baking time)

To finish:

Thread three muffins onto a kebab stick and place in lunch box. Pack in some cheese and fruit to compliment.