Strawberry Coconut Banana Muffins

Medically reviewed by Christiana George Updated Date: January 6, 2026

It’s time to get ready for Mother’s Day coming up. My in-laws will be in town, so we will probably go out to eat for lunch or dinner on Sunday, but I still wanted to have a treat for the morning. I was looking for something light and full of fruit. I really liked the Maple Strawberry Banana Muffins I made last year, so I based these Strawberry Coconut Banana Muffins off of that recipe. I exchanged the oil and maple syrup for some coconut oil. I have been wanting to try baking with coconut oil, so here was my chance. Now my muffins are even healthier!

I did not put any shredded coconut in these muffins, because not everyone likes the texture of it. The coconut oil doesn’t have a very strong coconut flavor, so I used imitation coconut extract for extra flavor.

These muffins are so easy and fast to make. The kids can help you by mashing the bananas and mixing ingredients. That would really be fun to do on Mother’s Day.

The house smelled like coconut and banana heaven while these were baking. I couldn’t wait to eat one. They came out so good. The texture of these Strawberry Coconut Banana Muffins was light and fluffy. You can taste all the individual flavors, not one overwhelmed the other.

They were just the right amount of sweet. And the coconut oil makes them healthier. Next time I am going to try them with whole wheat flour. You can never be too healthy. These are perfect for breakfast, brunch, or just a snack.

Strawberry Coconut Banana Muffins

by The Sweet Chick

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Keywords: bake bread breakfast snack strawberry banana coconut oil muffins American spring summer

Ingredients (16 muffins)

2/3 cups light brown sugar
1/2 cup coconut oil
2 eggs, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon imitation coconut extract
2 medium bananas, mashed
1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup finely chopped fresh strawberries

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Place solid coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for about 20 seconds until melted.

In a stand mixer bowl add sugar, oil, eggs, and coconut extract. Mix on low speed until completely blended.

Then add mashed bananas and mix until smooth.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Mix with a spoon until well blended, then add strawberries and gently mix until strawberries are covered with the flour mixture.

Next, add the flour/strawberry mixture to banana mixture and mix on low until completely incorporated.

Spoon batter into greased/lined muffin tins until about 3/4 full.

Bake at 375ºF for 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Remove from oven and enjoy warm or place on cooling rack and eat later. Either way, enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Banana-Strawberry Muffins by Pillsbury

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Grilled Kale with Ricotta and Tomatoes, Or Glutting Myself on The Sensory

Salad

Christiana George

Updated Date:
January 4, 2026

Someone told me once that kale is the healthiest food on the planet. It’s been known to lower cholesterol, the risk of cancer, and inflammation; it’s chock-full of vitamins I can’t even begin to pronounce, and it cleanses the body from toxins during both phases of detoxification. Pretty amazing, huh?

Personally, I think it resembles the skin of a dinosaur. Don’t you love the texture of kale? With all its folds and wrinkles, it’s not exactly coarse, but it’s tough, hardy, and soft to the touch.

More importantly, I love its color. Have you ever noticed how inconstant it is? Under different lights, different preparations, its hue shifts. Sometimes, kale takes after the color of a cactus, cool and calming and quiet. And sometimes, it almost hinges on teal. But I suppose this is the nature of the color green: it’s elusive, indefinable.

These are the reasons why I’m so drawn to fruits and vegetables: for the visual and sensory pleasure they provide. I’m quite the hedonist in that way.

Don’t even get me started with tomatoes. And please, let’s not get started on the subject of taste.

This salad is so vibrant and colorful, the essence of ‘salad’ in my mind. Except that the kale is lightly brushed with olive oil, sprinkled with salt, and grilled (or toasted in a toaster oven in my case), so it almost feels like you’re eating kale chips.

Plump, juicy tomatoes and ricotta round out the taste, so you get crisp, creamy, and colorful with every bite. You get the idea. This salad engages all the senses.

GRILLED KALE WITH RICOTTA AND TOMATOES

Adapted from Bon Appétit
Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 large tomato or 2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced
8 large leaves or 12 medium leaves of kale
3/4 cup ricotta
4 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp chopped fresh basil
1 tsp honey
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Prepare the dressing. Whisk 3 Tbsp olive oil, balsamic vinegar, basil, honey, and salt and pepper to taste in a bowl. Add tomato slices and toss to coat, then set aside.

Wash and dry kale. Brush with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place leaves on a grill until both sides are slightly charred. Remove and set aside to cool.

(Alternatively, I used a toaster oven on its highest setting to toast the leaves for about 5 minutes, and I think this emulated the grill pretty well.) For larger leaves, you may want to cut out the tough stems in the middle and cut each leaf into smaller pieces. Add kale to the vinaigrette and toss to coat.

Divide the ricotta among the plates and season with salt and pepper. Divide the kale among the plates and top with more dressing. Top each plate with tomato slices and drizzle the rest of the dressing on top.

And before I forget, happy 4th of July!