Banana Cocoa Muffins

Name: Banana Cocoa Muffins
Yield: 24
Ingredients: 20 Medjool dates or 40 regular dates, pitted and chopped; 1/2 cup coconut water; 2 cups garbanzo bean flour; 3/4 cup millet, ground into flour; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 2 teaspoons sodium free baking powder; 1 cup natural cocoa powder; 1 teaspoon Ceylon cinnamon; 1 1/2 tablespoons ground chia seeds; 1 1/2 cups chopped apple; 8 very ripe bananas; 2 teaspoons alcohol-free vanilla extract or pure vanilla bean powder; 2/3 cup cooked garbanzo beans; 9 ounces fresh spinach; 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar; 1 1/2 cups walnuts, chopped; 3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

By: James Rohrbacher

by 20 members

G - BOMBS

Category: Breakfast

Tag: Kid-Friendly

These moist, cocoa-rich muffins are a delicious breakfast treat and they contain some surprise ingredients to dial up their nutrient density!

Recipe
My Notes
Nutrition Facts
Ratings & Comments (28)

Serves 24

Ingredients

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20 Medjool dates or 40 regular dates, pitted and chopped

1/2 cup coconut water

2 cups garbanzo bean flour

3/4 cup millet, ground into flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons sodium free baking powder

1 cup natural cocoa powder

1 teaspoon Ceylon cinnamon

1 1/2 tablespoons ground chia seeds

1 1/2 cups chopped apple

8 very ripe bananas

2 teaspoons alcohol-free vanilla extract or pure vanilla bean powder

2/3 cup cooked garbanzo beans

9 ounces fresh spinach

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 cups walnuts, chopped

3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Instructions:

Soak the dates in coconut water for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Line muffin tins with paper liners and spray them very lightly with olive oil.

Whisk together the garbanzo bean flour, millet flour, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa and cinnamon and chia seeds in a small bowl.

In a high-powered blender, puree the dates and the soaking coconut water, apples, bananas, vanilla, garbanzo beans, spinach and apple cider vinegar until smooth. Pour into a large mixing bowl and stir in the walnuts and coconut until evenly distributed. Then fold in the flour mixture until just combined. Do not over mix.

Fill the muffin tins full and bake for 60-70 minutes, rotating in the oven after 45 minutes. They are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the muffins cool in the muffin tins on a wire rack for 20 minutes, then remove from the tins to the wire rack and cool completely.

Refrigerate or freeze in Ziploc bags.

My Notes: (Click Edit to enter your notes about this recipe)

Serves 24

Per Serving:

Calories 231
Protein 5 g
Carbohydrates 41 g
Sugars 20 g
Total Fat 8 g
Saturated Fat 2.5 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 70 mg
Fiber 6.7 g
Beta-Carotene 630 ug
Vitamin C 7 mg
Calcium 69 mg
Iron 2.1 mg
Folate 54 ug
Magnesium 86 mg
Potassium 564 mg
Zinc 1.2 mg
Selenium 9.9 ug

My Rating:
(click on a star to select your rating)

LisaKMJ

01/02/2025 02:36 PM

Rated this recipe:

These were really delicious...I followed the recipe as is and wouldn't change anything! I made mini muffins and baked about 25-30 minutes.

veggiemost

02/02/2022 04:36 PM

Rated this recipe: (no rating)

I give this 5 stars! These muffins are delicious! Even better probably if I remembered all of the ingredients. I forgot to put in the apple and vanilla, but still they were amazing. Next time I'll remember and I'm sure they will be good. The other things I did was I used carob instead of chocolate and rice flour instead of garbanzo flour.

This comment was last edited on 02/02/2022 04:39 PM

santmari

06/04/2020 08:47 AM

Rated this recipe:

I just made these last night, I didn't have all the ingridents it called for so I subbed out a few things. The main one was that I didn't have garbanzo flour or Millet, so I used Whole Wheat flour instead. I soaked the dates for 10 mins instead of the 30 mins, I didn't have coconut, which I can imagine would enhance the taste even more. All in all these were very tasty. I ageee with the other reviewers that it tastes better after it has cooled and being refrigerated. I would you could taste some of the other ingridents more and not just the chocolate. Will make again and next time I was to try it as indicated in the recipe.

kbarge

01/24/2020 04:55 PM

Rated this recipe:

I love these for breakfast or a snack. I have modified as follows: pecans instead of walnuts. almond flour instead of millet flour. I also cover them with tinfoli while baking -- they are much moister when done!

BrentH

05/10/2019 09:43 PM

Rated this recipe:

Made the full recipe. I used what I had; a few substitutions: coconut/almond milk instead of coconut water; half turnip greens & half spinach, 300g chopped dates in place of 20 Medjool dates and only soaked for 10 minutes (didn't need more time). Used silicone cupcake liners, so didn't need oil and they don't stick. Doesn't all fit at once in the Vitamix (just a comment, not a problem). 45 minutes at 350F was plenty.

This turned out so well that will be making this again and again.

This comment was last edited on 05/10/2019 09:52 PM

Fulfie

07/08/2018 05:32 PM

Rated this recipe:

I cut the ingredients in half and it still made 18 muffins. My VitaMix had a rough time blending the dates with only half the recipe, so suggest blending ingredients in a different order. They had a nice flavor but stuck to papers even though I sprayed them. After 45 minutes I think they were too dried out. I'll try watching the time better the next time I make them. 3.5 stars

whoster69

08/07/2017 12:50 AM

Rated this recipe:

I had these for breakfast this morning. They do take awhile to make. I was concerned that the amount of spinach would make them very un-muffin like, but they were surprisingly good considering all the spinach they had them. They aren't something I would want very often. They did give me heartburn. But there were fairly good.

Shelleyfishes

01/25/2017 09:52 PM

Rated this recipe: (no rating)

Just wondering if they are correct measurements in the recipe?? It says it makes 24 muffins. 1 cup of cocoa powder, 8 bananas seems an incredible large amount to use. Or did I miss something here. Please help anyone. Thanks heaps

jpoglesby replies:

06/15/2025 10:07 PM

Rated this recipe: (no rating)

I thought the same thing but I made them as the recipe states tonight and got 24 muffins!

This reply was last edited on 06/15/2025 10:11 PM

Linda P.

04/15/2016 03:36 PM

Rated this recipe: (no rating)

From Dr.Fuhrman.com:
Recipe has been slightly revised by Chef James.

Shesteepstea

12/23/2014 10:49 AM

Rated this recipe: (no rating)

Really pleased with the way these turned out. I made them exactly as written, but the container of spinach I purchased was only 5 oz. Also found that I only needed to bake for roughly 25 mins. in my oven. Eating two for breakfast with tea right now ... very filling and delish! Thanks for another great recipe which will fit into my regular rotation.

off10cr8tive

11/04/2014 06:42 PM

Rated this recipe:

Been looking for muffins with greens and only beans. Really tastes good and has muffin texture. I do have a little bitter taste at the back of my throat after eating 5 mini muffins. Do you think it is the spinach or the baking soda? Still - for E2L recipe it is awesome

Elaine Garces

07/29/2014 07:36 PM

Rated this recipe:

Very good recipe. Great ingredients. I learned a lesson: if toothpick comes out clean it's overdone. Will be even better next time. Wonderful muffins. Thank you.

amyan

06/21/2014 10:19 AM

Rated this recipe:

Loved these! Diane is right, the texture is very traditional. I found oiling the muffin papers was not needed, you don't taste the garbanzo bean flour, they work without the coconut (which I forgot!!), and they worked with subbing in frozen mixed greens (I did not have any fresh spinach). All in all, we really like them - I already ate too many. I did have to play with the baking time, my oven temp is not right and the thermometer I bought to hang inside has stopped working too!

Diane Foley

06/06/2014 02:35 PM

Rated this recipe:

Congrats to Mr Rohrbacher for this recipe! He is an excellent chef.... This is really the first fully ETL-compliant muffin recipe that I have found to have a good enough texture to serve to my family. The muffins are best if they cool down from the oven and firm up a bit, and freeze and reheat wonderfully as well. I used purchased garbanzo flour I had left over from another recipe, and chopped frozen spinach.

adustan

05/26/2014 11:00 AM

Rated this recipe: (no rating)

Made these last night and they're delicious! Yum! 5 star rating

This comment was last edited on 05/26/2014 11:02 AM

Mary O'Neill

05/21/2014 01:22 PM

Rated this recipe: (no rating)

This recipe is very worth taking the time to make....these muffins taste especially good after they have cooled and mellowed a bit...
Very rich, moist and filling-- I used Swiss chard for the greens, and white kidney beans....my family who are very picky, even liked these!
5 star rating

Joy

05/18/2014 04:19 PM

Rated this recipe: (no rating)

Obviously if sandy said they were yummy then she ate them and liked them, so that would qualify her to make any rating she chooses.

KimmyP

05/17/2014 11:06 AM

Rated this recipe: (no rating)

To Sandy Leeann...have you tried these muffins? You should not post a 5-star rating if you haven't made the recipe yet. Misleading.

Joy Eden

05/16/2014 06:39 PM

Rated this recipe: (no rating)

I think I'd try these with fresh spinach, and chop it fine, rather than cooking it. Or puree fresh with the liquid ingredients.
Is Rohrbacher a chef? - oh, I see that he is and contributed a few recipes to Eat to Live Cookbook.
Might try these with carob powder instead of cocoa, too.
I wonder, if using whole spelt flour, how the leaveners - soda and baking powder - would be adapted. And if you'd use the same amount of liquid or change that.
Wondering if chickpea flour might absorb greater or lesser amount of liquid than spelt would.

This comment was last edited on 05/18/2014 05:06 PM

engies

05/15/2014 08:18 PM

Rated this recipe: (no rating)

Has anyone tried quinoa flour?

agrabler

05/15/2014 06:44 PM

Rated this recipe: (no rating)

Has anyone tried these with a different gluten-free flour? I love garbanzo beans, but I hate it as flour. Every single item I've used it in (or bought with it as an ingredient) has a metallic aftertaste for me.

This comment was last edited on 05/15/2014 06:44 PM

Victoria1111 replies:

05/06/2017 09:50 PM

Rated this recipe: (no rating)

I do not like garbanzo beans, or the flour either, I use millet flour instead that I grind myself.

Marabella

05/15/2014 06:02 PM

Rated this recipe: (no rating)

you can also make your own garbanzo flour with dry beans and a high speed blender like a blend tec or a vitamix or a food processor.

This comment was last edited on 05/15/2014 06:02 PM

rorr830

05/15/2014 05:59 PM

Rated this recipe: (no rating)

Geoffrey.....it says serves 24 at the top of the recipe. So, I would assume 1/24 of the recipe most likely.

GeoffreyLevens

05/15/2014 05:28 PM

Rated this recipe: (no rating)

Gives nutrition info "per serving" but no indication of what a serving is. One muffin? Two? Three?

wilson4316

05/15/2014 05:24 PM

Rated this recipe: (no rating)

You can find that flour at an Indian grocery store, protein rich.

Victoria1111 replies:

05/06/2017 09:48 PM

Rated this recipe: (no rating)

I have a grinding mill that I can grind beans in to turn them into flour.

http://pleasanthillgrain.com/nutrimill?_vsrefdom=gpshop&gclid=Cj0KEQjw6LXIBRCUqIjXmdKBxZUBEiQA_f50PiDWO55arqdb9lKdggpu5Fpe8xdRTdgWRgkIjNEKly8aAr_A8P8HAQ

This is the Nutri Mill that I have that turns beans into flour.

Georges_Canard

05/15/2014 05:22 PM

Rated this recipe: (no rating)

Sounds Interesting. Where do you find or how do you make your own garbanzo bean flour?

This comment was last edited on 05/15/2014 05:25 PM

BlushingTomato replies:

05/30/2020 10:26 AM

Rated this recipe: (no rating)

If you have a vita mix you can buy a separate dry pitcher with lid that is specifically made for grinding beans, nuts and grains into flours.

Lisa50

05/15/2014 04:11 PM

Rated this recipe: (no rating)

Sandy - where did you try these muffins?

Sandy Leeann

04/19/2014 06:33 PM

Rated this recipe:

Soooo good! Looking forward to making these myself!

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Banana Cocoa Muffins

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