Fruit and Fiber Muffins (gluten free)

I have been experimenting with muffin mixes, primarily because it is a quick and easy breakfast that my husband will usually eat. I make a dozen up on the weekend and keep them in the fridge all week. Thirty seconds in the microwave and they are nice and warm.

Here is the flour mix I am using. It is based on the Bette Hagman proportions, but with modifications to include a variety of flours and more fiber.

Gluten Free Flour Mix
3 parts brown rice flour
2 parts sweet white sorghum flour
1 part soy flour
1/2 part flaxseed meal
1 part tapioca starch flour
2 parts potato starch flour
Mix thoroughly and store in a plastic container in the refrigerator.

Now here is the gluten free muffin recipe I am currently using.

Gluten-free Fruit and Fiber Muffins
3 1/2 c. gluten free flour mix
1 tsp baking soda
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
1 T egg replacer
1 tsp xanthum gum
1/3 c. demerara cane sugar (or brown sugar)
2 tsp powdered vanilla
5T powdered buttermilk
4 eggs
1/2 c canola oil
1 1/2 to 2 c. water
1 to 2 c coarsely chopped fresh fruit or dried fruit
1 to 2 c chopped nuts, rolled oats or coconut (I use whatever I have on hand and just mix it to make 2 c)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and lightly grease 12 Texas size muffin cups. Thoroughly mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a large (4 c or larger) measuring cup, mix together the oil, eggs and water. Pour into the dry ingredients and mix well. Fold in the fruit and nuts. Divide the mix evenly between the 12 muffin cups--they will be full to the top, but they don't rise enough to run over. The mix should be quite thick. Bake about 30 min or until they are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in them comes out clean.

Note: If you are not on a gluten free diet, try using whole wheat flour and regular flour in equal proportions and leave out the xanthum gum and egg replacer.

A different kind of Turkey Day

We (mom-in-law, hubby, me) decided today that rather than a) cook all day tomorrow for just the three of us or b) deal with the crowds going out, we would go out tonight. Wednesdays are seafood night at the Gathering of Nations buffet at the Inn of the Mountain Gods. We all love seafood, but here in the mountains, you don't find a lot of it, at least not anything really good like you find on the coast. We have not tried this particular buffet before, so I'll let you know how it turns out.

Tomorrow, instead of a big turkey dinner, I am fixing brunch--Southwestern Eggs Benedict with fresh fruit, coffee and juices. I made polenta today (or as we call it down south, cornmeal mush) and it is chilling in the fridge. The rest of the day, we will just stay home and if we get really hungry, snack on leftover pork roast. No turkey this year, though we may stick one in the freezer while they are on sale. With the hectic schedule the hubby and I seem to be keeping lately, a lazy day at home will be the biggest treat of all.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Gluten-free Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins

I've been on a quest for some time now to get my husband to start eating breakfast. I am a firm believer in the benefits of eating breakfast and I think I have most of the medical profession on my side in that regard. He finally relented and said that he would eat oatmeal, because of its heart healthy benefits, if I could find a way to make it look like something else. He is also a stickler about muffins and anything that looks or tastes like cake is NOT a muffin (according to Jim). So I have been on a quest for a good muffin recipe and this one is pretty good. It is gluten-free (for me, because I have celiac disease) and tasty enough for him.

Gluten-free Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins

2 c. gluten-free flour mix (I used Bob's Red Mill GF All Purpose Baking Flour)

1/2 tsp. xanthum gum

1-3/4 c. gluten-free rolled oats (again-Bob's Red Mill GF Rolled Oats)

3/4 c. packed brown sugar

3 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 egg

1/3 c. canola oil

1 c. buttermilk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 c. blueberries (fresh, frozen or canned and drained. I used frozen and did not thaw them out.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, xanthum gum, oats, brown sugar, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Combine egg, oil, buttermilk and vanilla in small bowl and whisk until well blended. Stir into flour mixture just until well blended, then fold in blueberries. Spoon evenly into 18 (2-1/2 inch) nonstick muffin cups. The batter is very thick and sticky, so you may want to spray a little PAM in those muffin cups even if they are nonstick.

Bake 30-35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan 10 minutes, then remove and serve warm or cool completely on wire racks. I store them in a plastic container in the refrigerator and warm them for about 30 seconds in the microwave before serving.