Apricot Banana Muffins

This winter seems to have been exceptionally long and severe so it is great to finally see real signs of spring. The first of the spring flowers are appearing along with buds on the trees. The colours of spring are making up for the grey skies and rain.

The taste of bananas changes as they ripen. I like them before they get too ripe - when they are past green and in the early days of yellow before they get speckled with brown. Once they are very ripe they are good for baking. I also had a bag of dried apricots so I thought why not combine the two for a change of pace.

Apricot Banana Muffins
Makes 12 muffins

170 g (6 oz) dried apricots
Boiling water

30 mL (2 Tbsp) vegetable oil
1 egg
300 mL (1 1/4 cup) plain yoghurt
2 ripe bananas, mashed

80 mL (1/3 cup) brown sugar


500 mL (2 cups) all-purpose flour


10 mL (2 tsp) baking powder

2.5 mL (1/2 tsp) baking soda

2.5 mL (1/2 tsp) salt

1.25 mL (1/4 tsp) nutmeg


Preheat oven to 180°C (375°F).

Cover apricots with boiling water and let stand for 10 minutes; drain and coarsely chop.
In large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg; mix in apricots. In a separate bowl, whisk together oil, egg, yoghurt, bananas and sugar: pour over dry ingredients and mix until just moistened. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin tins ¾ full and bake for 20-25 minutes.