Tropical (banana, coconut, pineapple) Muffins: A tropical vacation

I fantasize about vacation. I fantasize about going somewhere warm, sunny, with ocean breezes and a very able-bodied person answering my every whim. I think about going somewhere with a pool that I can sit in and swim in without any worry and a beautiful view from a pristine hotel room in an exotic land. I fantasize about all these things. But it's only a fantasy because traveling with three small children, one with a cornucopia of food allergies means that it's probably going to stay in my dreams for a long while.

I decided to send myself on a little breakfast tropical vacation with these tropical muffins. I've always loved banana muffins but was excited to try and mix it up with some other flavors to change things. I am EXTREMELY glad I did because these muffins are really yummy - moist, flavorful and a total vacation for your senses. Do some prep work the night before, and 8 minutes of work and 25 minutes of baking produces delicious muffins in the morning. These muffins are fool proof and you won't regret making them.

** Preparation tips

Bananas taste the best in baked goods when they are the worst looking for eating; black, mushy, squishy make for GREAT baked goods. If you can't bake when your banana is looking its worst, freeze it in a ziploc bag. When you are ready to bake, place it in the fridge to defrost over night and in the morning it will be defrosted and perfect.

If your child eats only part of a banana, cut off the eaten bit and stick the other portion into the fridge. You will save banana and as a bonus get some baking goods.

Measure out all dry ingredients the night before - sugar in one larger bowl, and the rest of the dry ingredients in a smaller bowl. Have your butter cut and measured in a bowl, ready to melt and your egg all ready to go. Paper liners in the muffin pan already all set up. Set out your pineapple and coconut also ready to go.

Tropical Muffins (banana, coconut, pineapple)
12 muffins

1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 stick of butter, melted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2/3 cups sugar
1 large egg
2 large ripe bananas
1/2 cup crushed pineapple, drained and slightly pressed on for the juice to come out (I use the Dole crushed pineapple in the can)
1/2 cup dried coconut (if you can find the unsweetened variety, feel free to use.) and a bit more to sprinkle on top of the muffins

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake/muffin pan with liners. In a medium bowl, measure out and mix together flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, whisk egg and sugar together until well combined. Add melted butter. Mix well. Add vanilla extract. Squish into the bowl bananas and mix. Add pineapple and coconut. Mix well.

3. Add dry mixture. Use a VERY light hand to mix at this point. The more mixing you do the tougher the muffin so try not to over mix. You want everything well mixed together but not over mixed.

4. Divide batter equally in liners. Sprinkle tops with some coconut. Bake until golden brown, about 22-30 minutes.

5. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan. Then enjoy and go on a mini vacation.

Printable recipe