Tropical Muffins —rsquo; Because Tuesday Still Deserves Something Warm

An ordinary week in the life between milestones. The kitchen produces meals on schedule. Amma is in memory care. Appa visits her daily. The children grow. The sambar gets made. The rasam gets made. The wet grinder roars on Sundays. I made Coconut rice tonight. Not because it is special but because it is Tuesday and Tuesday needs dinner and the kitchen does not distinguish between milestone weeks and ordinary weeks. The generous pinch is generous either way. The food continues. We continue.

The coconut rice came together the way it always does—without ceremony, without occasion, just the generous pinch and the familiar motion of hands that have done this before. When I thought about what to share alongside that feeling, these Tropical Muffins felt right: they carry the same warm coconut note, the same unhurried ease, the kind of thing you can make on a Tuesday not because it is special but because the kitchen is open and the coconut is there and that is enough. Bake a batch. Let the smell do what smells do in a house full of continuing.

Tropical Muffins

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 22 min | Total Time: 37 min | Servings: 12 muffins

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple, drained (reserve 2 tablespoons juice)
1 medium ripe banana, mashed
2 large eggs
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/3 cup neutral oil (such as avocado or canola)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons reserved pineapple juice

Instructions

Preheat oven. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease lightly with oil.
Mix dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the shredded coconut and set aside.
Mix wet ingredients. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the mashed banana, eggs, coconut milk, oil, vanilla extract, and reserved pineapple juice until combined.
Fold together. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold gently with a spatula until just combined—a few streaks of flour are fine. Fold in the drained crushed pineapple. Do not overmix.
Fill and bake. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake for 20–22 minutes, until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool and serve. Allow muffins to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Nutrition (per serving)

Tropical Muffins —rsquo; Because Tuesday Still Deserves Something Warm