Banana-oat muffins with bruleed bananas recipe

Ingredients

• Non-aerosol cooking spray
• 2 large mostly firm bananas, cut into chunks, plus 1 firm banana, cut on an angle into 12 long ovals
• ½ cup rice milk, oat milk, or hemp milk
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1¼ cups rolled oats
• 2 tablespoons vanilla pea or rice protein powder (or 4 tablespoons hemp powder)
• 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts (optional)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F, with one rack set in the center and one 4 to 6 inches from the broiler heating element. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
2. In a food processor, pulse together the 2 chopped bananas, the rice milk, eggs, oil, and vanilla. Pulse in the oats, protein powder, walnuts (if using), baking powder, salt, and ¼ teaspoon of the cinnamon until combined.
3. Fill each muffin cup two-thirds full with the batter and top with a banana oval. Bake on the middle rack until set, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn the broiler to high.
4. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and the remaining ¼ teaspoon cinnamon. Evenly sprinkle ¼ teaspoon of the cinnamon-sugar on each banana slice. Return the pan to the top rack of the oven and broil until the sugar begins to brown and bubble, 1 to 2 minutes. (Watch it carefully to avoid burning.) Remove from the oven and let cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn the muffins out onto a wire rack. Eat warm or at room temp. The muffins will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.