I have a confession to make.

I am a banana hoarder.

Whenever I see those bulk bags of overripe bananas on supersale for $1.99, I usually shamelessly buy every bag available.

One time I bought four bags.  And they usually contain about 15 bananas each.

What on earth would I do with 60 bananas?

First of all, I eat them.  Many times those bags are not only filled with ripe bananas, but lonely singletons that have been separated from their bunches.  Lonely bananas need love too!

Then what we can’t eat, I peel and freeze for smoothies.  We have a deep freezer and I have several gallon Ziplocks of frozen bananas on hand at all times.

But there’s a point when there’s just too many frozen bananas to justify buying more discount bananas.  So I bake with them.

Ripe mashed bananas are a vegan staple that adds sweetness, moisture, and flavor to many baked goods.  It also works as a fat substitute in some recipes, like banana bread.

I prefer banana muffins to banana bread, because they are less messy and perfectly portioned.  They freeze well and I have a quick, healthy breakfast for me or the kids in seconds.  So I always make a double batch.

Making traditional banana muffins healthy and vegan is simple.  Applesauce replaces the oil or butter and aquafaba replaces the eggs.

If you haven’t heard of aquafaba yet, there is a whole world out there for you to explore.  It is simply the liquid drained off a can of chickpeas or the thickened cooking water if you make them at home like I do.  Three tablespoons of aquafaba is equal to an egg in baked goods and I freeze it in 3 tablespoon servings in large ice cube trays so that I always have an “egg” on hand.

Blueberries and bananas play so nicely together that I had to add some in as well.

With a little smear of almond butter, these muffins make the perfect easy breakfast!