Delicious Banana-Pear Muffins: The Perfect Road Trip Snack & Comfort Food Recipe

This morning began with a sweet, albeit brief, moment of domestic bliss. W woke up, his little face beaming, and after a warm hug, cheerfully requested eggs on toast and a trip to the beach. My heart ached a little as I had to deliver the news: no eggs, no beach today. Instead, we were packing up, right then, to catch the noon ferry. Grandad was eager to make good time, and our Tofino adventure, beautiful as it was, was drawing to an unexpected close.

An Unplanned Detour: From Tofino to Kelowna

Our original itinerary for this week was a delightful blend of scenic drives, family time, and a much-anticipated mountain retreat. The plan was to leave Tofino, take the ferry to Vancouver, and then drive to Kelowna. My Dad had a conference there, and he and my Mom were going to enjoy a weekend of golf. W and I, however, had a different, equally enticing destination in mind: Silver Star Mountain, just above Vernon, to visit my wonderful friend, Sue.

Sue is not just a friend; she’s an exceptional cook and a brilliant, albeit uncelebrated, writer. I envisioned a weekend filled with good wine, Sue’s legendary hospitality (she feeds people *very* well), and a Saturday morning trip to the Vernon farmers’ market. We would sip Americanos, scout for those elusive, non-crap scones, and then leisurely gather intriguing produce. The plan was to head back up the mountain, lose ourselves in her lovely open kitchen, concocting culinary masterpieces, while W happily occupied himself with Disney/Pixar movies, peanut butter spoons, and the company of Lola, her sweet yellow lab. We even had pressing culinary questions to discuss, like the fate of twenty pounds of cherries, home-dried to a chewy, concentrated perfection, yet not quite raisins. Sue’s culinary insights are invaluable; I often tell her she should have her own food blog, and I was even planning to ask if she’d consider a guest post here.

When Swine Flu Changes Everything

However, life, as it often does, had other plans. Our mountain retreat was regrettably “kyboshed” by the unwelcome news of the swine flu. A student at the Vernon school Sue’s daughter attends had contracted the virus, leading to the entire school being shut down for a week. Suddenly, a cozy mountain visit didn’t seem like the best, or safest, idea.

So, instead of a mountain escape, W and I found ourselves tagging along to Kelowna, crashing my parents’ hotel room for the weekend. It’s certainly not the worst way to spend a weekend, but it did mean I’d need to get creative to entertain W for six hours on Saturday afternoon, between checking out of the hotel and my parents finishing their golf game. There’s a lake nearby, and perhaps he wouldn’t notice it wasn’t the ocean. After all, he affectionately called the vast Pacific Ocean “the pond” (“I’ll throw the shell in that pond!”). When Grandad, with his typical educational flair, tried to explain it was the Pacific Ocean, W simply renamed it “the Specific Really Big Pond.” And when my Mom explained their new house overlooked Clayoquot Sound (pronounced Cla-kwhat Sound), he charmingly repeated, “quack quack… what’s that sound?” It earned him the usual chorus of “awww, how adorable,” a reaction he’s been receiving in spades this week. I foresee some serious Grandma withdrawal when we finally get home.

Nourishment on the Road: From Tofino to Kelowna

Despite the long hours spent traveling – we left Tofino at 8 AM and arrived in Kelowna just after 7 PM, a full day of driving and ferries, all within the same province – our road trip fare was surprisingly wholesome. My motto for car-food days is usually “survival,” but today, we did rather well. I packed up the last of the broccoli-slaw my Mom had bought but we never got around to eating (mental note: must make Asian sesame-orange vinaigrette for the next bag!). We devoured it right in the car at the ferry terminal, happily bypassing the usual pizza temptation. On the ferry itself, we discovered a surprisingly delicious curried chickpea soup.

And then there were the muffins. Ah, the muffins! Last night, faced with a bounty of overripe bananas and pears that had endured a bit too much jostling in our beach bag, I decided to put them to good use. I baked a couple of batches this week, actually, thoroughly enjoying the novelty of working in a sparse kitchen with limited ingredients: a modest bag of all-purpose flour, baking soda, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and oil. Everything was mashed and mixed together with a simple wooden spoon and baked in the only baking tin available – a jumbo-sized, six-cup muffin tin. When I made my espresso run into town, I’d grab a packet of coarse turbinado sugar (at $4 for coffee, I reasoned a packet of sugar was a small indulgence) to sprinkle over the tops before they went into the oven. These simple, homemade muffins became an unexpected staple of our journey.

We’ve eaten a lot of muffins out of small paper bags this week, a hard-to-resist comfort when you stop for coffee. It’s something W has really taken to. For anyone traveling through Tofino, a local tip: Jupiter has by far the best muffins in town. You’ll find it in the bottom half of a house, tucked away behind the ice cream shop. They also sell them at Beaches Grocery on your way into town.

The Recipe: Simple & Delicious Banana-Pear Muffins

These muffins were more than just a snack; they were a little piece of home on the road, a comforting constant amidst changing plans. Simple to make, adaptable, and wonderfully moist, they’re perfect for breakfast, a quick snack, or packing for any adventure.

Ingredients:

• 2 large, very ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 ripe pear, peeled, cored, and finely diced or grated
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil (or melted butter)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar (or brown sugar for a richer flavor)
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional, but highly recommended)
• 2 tablespoons coarse turbinado sugar for topping (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat Oven & Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease it well. If you only have a jumbo 6-cup tin like I did, you might need to bake in two batches.
2. Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the mashed bananas, diced pear, vegetable oil, granulated sugar, egg, and vanilla extract. Mix well with a wooden spoon or whisk until thoroughly combined.
3. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon (if using). This helps distribute the leavening agents evenly.
4. Combine Wet and Dry: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix gently with the wooden spoon or a spatula until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; a few lumps are perfectly fine and often result in a more tender muffin.
5. Fill Muffin Tin: Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full. If using, sprinkle the tops generously with coarse turbinado sugar for a delightful crunchy crust.
6. Bake: Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Baking time may vary slightly depending on your oven and the size of your muffins (jumbo muffins will take longer).
7. Cool: Let the muffins cool in the tin for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Tips & Variations:

• Overripe Bananas are Key: The riper the bananas (brown spots are great!), the sweeter and more flavorful your muffins will be.
• Pear Choice: Firmer pears like Bosc or Anjou hold their shape well, while softer varieties like Bartlett will blend in more.
• Add-ins: Feel free to customize! A handful of chopped walnuts, pecans, chocolate chips, or even dried cranberries would be delicious additions.
• Spice It Up: A pinch of nutmeg or allspice can complement the cinnamon and fruit beautifully.
• Storage: Store leftover muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze for longer storage.

These Banana-Pear Muffins were a simple, yet profoundly comforting, part of our unexpected journey. They represent the adaptable spirit of travel and the joy of creating something delicious, even with limited resources. May they bring as much warmth to your table as they did to our car on the long road to Kelowna!

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