Call it whatever... but I hate to toss food items.

So, when I ended up with 2 overripe bananas, fresh lemons that hardened overnight (from the heat from my log burner), and a melted tub of ice cream, I jotted down a list of ingredients, got creative, and mixed them all together with some more...

I was excited to buy this double pack of Italian Pistachio Gelato ice cream, but it turned out to be a disappointment, and I didn't even taste a hint of pistachio. Still, I placed the second one in the freezer, thinking that I'd eat it soon. However, I forgot about it, and when I woke up, it was melted because my freezer was underpowered that night.

Calculating it all, instead of tossing the bananas, ice cream, and lemons, I thought the chocolate and nuts from the ice cream could add an element of excitement if I made some banana and lemon muffins. Also, I have used yoghurt to make banana and lemon muffins in the past, so I imagined the gelato ice cream to be not too far from yoghurt.

Don't it? Well, let's see, right?

The mystery of what these muffins would turn out to be excited me, and my creative juices kept flowing. I decided to add muesli to the flour to make oatmeal banana and lemon cream muffins.

Here's the list of what I used:

1.5 cups Plain Flour
1 cup Muesli (Oats)
1 tsp Baking Soda
6 tbsp of melted Butter
a pinch of Salt
1 tbsp of Lemon zest
2 tbsp Lemon Juice
1 tub of melted Ice Cream
2 long, ripe Bananas
2 large Eggs
a pinch of cinnamon
a pinch of nutmeg

I don't add sugar to my fruit-based mixture, but you could add sugar or, better yet, some honey to your taste.

Also, if you have a mixer, you could use it; however, I did everything manually with a basic fork.

• I added the dry ingredients: flour, muesli, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a bowl.
• I then mixed the butter with the lemon zest.
• I mashed the banana in 2 stages. First, a little lumpy.

• Until it was smooth like this.

• I added the eggs, ice cream, and lemon juice and mixed it all thoroughly.
• Then, combine the dry ingredients with the wet.

Satisfied with the mixture, I then greased my muffin tray with butter and filled each cup.

After baking this on high heat (approx. 240) for 25 minutes, I placed a toothpick in the centre of one to test if it was baked right through.

The Verdict!

The muffins had a nice rounded flavour and came out soft and fluffy. The raisins from the muesli added a nice texture, and I was surprised at how well the oats baked since I had not soaked them before.
I think someone who takes sugar would find it lacking, but I think it would be a nice treat for a diabetic person who has a yearning for pastry.

I had the first two hot with a spread of butter, and it was so yummy. Nothing perks up a coffee moment like muffins do.

These twelve muffins lasted me for a few days, and I got even more creative by placing the muffins in a ziplock bag in a pot of boiling water, steaming them for 5 minutes to reheat, while keeping them moist and fluffy.

Overall, I was pleased with the turnout of these muffins, and who would have thought that ice cream could be added to baking, huh?

This was a testament that we can wasteless by applying a bit of creativity in the kitchen, don't you think?

Let's aim to reduce waste over this festive season. Find creative ways to prepare leftovers, or perhaps give your extra food to someone hungry.

Happy Holidays y'all!