Banana Apple Cinnamon Lunchbox Muffins

Yes, you can change this recipe to suit your dietary needs without compromising on flavour or texture.

For gluten-free, simply substitute the all-purpose flour for rice or gluten-free flour, or a mixture of both.  If you are interested in using quinoa flour, remember it is a dense, moist flour with a strong flavour--only substitute a small amount, between 1/4 and 1/2 cup.  Almond flour also has a dense texture, so a small substitution would work best.

For sugar-free muffins, omit the sugar and add another banana with 1/4 cup of baking stevia.  Sweetness is often to taste--some people adore very sweet foods, where others only need the sweetness of a fruit--so you may need to experiment with the degree of sweetness that best agrees with you and your family.

For fat-free muffins, you can omit the canola oil and substitute for apple sauce.  However, this often changes the texture and can make the muffins spongy.  Again, some palates are happy with springy muffins, while others enjoy a more cake-like texture, which the use of oils provide.  To strike a balance, consider just reducing the amount of oil and topping up with applesauce.

There are many extras you can add to these muffins--chopped walnuts, chopped macadamias, sunflower seeds, raisins, dried cranberries and chocolate chips to name but a few.  Use your imagination, and whatever is taking up space in your pantry, and experiment with different flavours.