This recipe may seem a little complicated, but I promise you, it’s not. You need several bowls, one microwave safe. Heat up the 1 1/2 cups of water in the microwave (or if you prefer, in a pan on the stove). Then in another bowl, mash up your banana very well with a fork.

Now you can buy dates already chopped up in little pieces, or if you buy them whole, you need to chop them up, removing all the pits. You want NO pits!

Then add your chopped dates, raisins and vanilla to the hot water, and let them sit for a few minutes to soften up. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, oats, chopped up pecans, baking powder and baking soda.

Once the raisins and dates have softened up, pour everything together in one bowl, including the 1 1/2 cups of water that your fruit was soaking in, your flour mixture and your banana, and mix well, till everything is incorporated.

Spray your mini muffin tins with cooking spray (there is no oil in this recipe, so this is important), and fill each to the top with the batter. These don’t raise a whole lot. Bake in a preheated 350 oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

Let them cool in the pan for a couple of minutes, and then turn them out onto a cooling rack or clean towel.