Banana Raisin Muffins

Well. Today marks the first full year since my mother passed away; to say that the past twelve months have been a strange, sad, bittersweet, illuminating, mind-expanding, and soul-searching time would be to say nothing original or particularly insightful. It is enough to mark the occasion, and to reflect upon and appreciate the past, even as we look ahead to the future. So in that spirit, I give you what my mom was always so good at providing: FOOD. This is essentially my take on my mom's classic banana bread, veganized and interpreted as muffins (although you can also bake it in a loaf pan; it will just take another 15 minutes or so in the oven). To those who knew her, such an assertion might be seen as silly and/or impossible, given my mother's belief that all baked goods should include the maximum quantity of butter and/or eggs, as a matter of principle. On the other hand, I am pretty much a professional at this sort of thing by now, and I think the fact that a dozen muffins lasted less than 24 hours amongst my kids (historically, perhaps the greatest fans/consumers of my mother's banana bread) speaks for itself.

Banana Raisin Muffins
Ingredients
~ 2 cups all purpose flour
~ 1/2 cup brown sugar
~ 1 tbsp. baking powder
~ 1/2 tsp. each: baking soda, cinnamon, salt
~ 1/4 tsp. each: allspice, nutmeg
~ 3/4 cup raisins
~ 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts (optional)
~ 2-3 very ripe bananas, mashed
~ 1/4 cup canola oil
~ 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
~ 1/2 cup plain, unsweetened soy (or other non-dairy) milk

Directions
~ Preheat the oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit, and coat a muffin tin with cooking spray.
~ In a mixing bowl, sift together the dry ingredients (flour through nutmeg), until thoroughly combined.
~ Add the raisins and walnuts (if using), and toss to coat with the flour mixture.
~ In a separate bowl, mix together the bananas, oil, applesauce, and milk.
~ Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, and add the wet ingredients.
~ Combine thoroughly, the spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin.
~ Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
~ Allow to cool in the tin for about 10 minutes before turning out. Serve warm or at room temperature.