Creativity and Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

"Creativity is problem-solving"

That's what my choreography teacher said to my class the other day and it just completely makes sense. In dance, when you get stuck in a pattern of the same movements, you have to solve the problem and find some new way to move. In photography, if the angles or the lighting aren't working out, you have to solve the problem and find a way to make the picture beautiful differently than you had originally planned. Even creativity in cooking is problem-solving. If something goes wrong, you just have to see what you can do with what you're left with. 

Remember way back over Thanksgiving break when I messed up that pecan pie caramel sauce and ended up with this? Well, even though it wasn't what I was trying to make, that sugar tasted pretty yummy- kind of like maple candy. I couldn't just throw it away! Instead, I decided to save it and use it to top off these delicious muffins. See? Problem solved, muffins made.

These taste like something you would get at Starbucks, but vegan and much healthier! 

Iced Banana Chocolate Chip Crumble Muffins

2 1/2 large bananas
1/4 cup applesauce
1/4 cup canola oil
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp molasses
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips
maple sugar
1/2 recipe white icing

To make the maple sugar:
Combine 1 cup of brown sugar with 1 cup of maple syrup in a sauce pan. Stir over medium heat and let it boil until it turns into crumbly sugar then immediately remove from heat. If you don't feel like doing this, just a sprinkling of brown sugar would be tasty too.

1. Preheat your oven to 350º. In a large bowl, mash the bananas, then stir in the applesauce, oil, sugar and molasses. 

2. Stir in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt and mix until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.

3. Fill muffin tin with the batter, about 3/4 way full for each. Top with maple sugar or brown sugar, and bake for about 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

4. Once the muffins are out of the oven, let them cool for 10 minutes and then drizzle with white icing.

Muffins are best made and served with love.