Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins

Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins are perfect to kick off spring! They have great flavour, texture, and are moist! They are filling and make the perfect breakfast. They freeze well and are versatile. The blueberries can be substituted for your favourite summertime berry!

Im back! It has been a long time since my last post, but I needed a break to focus on finishing school and getting through the ski season. Life has been busy and my cooking and baking began to resemble a caveman that had to gather and scrounge for food, and most of the things I made were sloppy, rushed, and consisted of last weeks left overs and whatever was found at the back of the fridge (not rather appealing).

Spring is in full swing, and that is the perfect time for fresh starts. It is a time when mother earth comes out of hibernation and allows the trees, flowers, and plants to bloom and grow. Spring is a great time to reflect on the long winter, and contemplate the path your following. It is a great time to make any necessary changes to find yourself and your happiness again. Spring is a time for growth, to shed layers from the past that you no longer need, and to allow yourself to be free. It is a time to do the things you have always wanted to and let go of all the thoughts, and ideas that have been holding you back.

To me, spring is a bright and exciting time. I feel like I need less sleep and have more energy than ever. It also marks the beginning of the farmers market, which is one of my favourite places to pick up local plants, produce, and home made gluten free goods. Spring means that soon all fruit and vegetables will be fresh and BERRIES WILL BE EVERYWHERE! The perfect way to mark the start of spring is with these gluten free blueberry muffins! They have great texture and make a great breakfast or snack. They freeze well and taste great with a cup of coffee in the morning! The granola and honey toping ensure that the muffin stays moist and adds extra flavour and texture!

Blueberry Muffins

2 1/2 Cup Gluten Free All Purpose Flour

1/2 Cup Sugar

2 Tbsp Chia Seeds

1/4 Tsp Baking Soda

2 Tsp Baking Powder

1 Tsp Xanthan Gum

Juice of 1 Lemon

1 Tbsp Lemon Zest

1/4 Cup Melted Coconut Oil

2 Eggs

1 Cup Blueberries

1 Cup Greek Yogurt

1/3 Cup Apple Sauce

Topping

2 Tbsp Honey

1/4 Cup Granola (Gluten Free Granola)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In separate bowls combine the wet ingredients and the dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until all the ingredients are wet. Do not over mix, just ensure that everything is combined. Fill a greased muffin tin using a 1/4 Cup measuring cup. Bake for 20-25 Minutes. While cooking, mix together to topping ingredients and put on top as soon as the muffins come out of the oven.

I hope everyone has a great spring and has a chance to get outside and enjoy the blooming trees, and the warmth of the sun. I hope everyone has a chance to reflect on the winter and begins to feel energized and refreshed! The changing of the season is the perfect time to make changes in yourself.

K.

Halloween Inspired Gluten-Free Pumpkin Banana Chip Muffins

These Halloween inspired Pumpkin Banana Chip muffins are perfect for people with allergies.  They are gluten, egg, dairy, and peanut free. They are perfectly spiced, with a soft and moist texture that can be hard to find in Gluten Free baking. They are a great option for snacks, and breakfasts on the go. They fill the fall season with a comforting warmth!

Halloween is just a short day away, and this means candy, treats, and dressing up as your favorite character, person, or thing. The options are endless! My favorite part of Halloween has always been making my costume! It is always fun looking for bits and pieces to make yourself into whoever you want to be. As a child I was always wrapped up in the warmest snowsuit I had, and was shoved into an oversized costume to stay warm for a prairie Halloween. It was usually difficult to move, but I always managed to get the biggest bag of loot. Back then I did not have Celiac disease and could eat whatever goodies I received, after my parents inspected them of course! However, things are not the same now. I can no longer enjoy my favorite treats, such as Twix bars, Coffee Crisps, and Kit Kats.

I could not imagine being a child with allergies. Halloween would lose a bit of its enjoyment when you have to give away most of your candy to friends, and family. However, children with allergies enjoy the tradition of trick-or-treating just as much as any other child. Thankfully the Teal Pumpkin Project has been developed to raise awareness for allergies, and gives children with with allergies the opportunity to find some enjoyment in their candy bags. People paint a pumpkin, which is typically orange, teal and place it outside their home. This alerts trick-or-treaters with allergies that they can go to that house and receive an allergen free treat, such as stickers, pencils, or erasers. Children can still dress up and participate in traditional trick-or-treating without having to worry about becoming ill, or not being able to enjoy any of their goodies. The Teal Pumpkin Project promotes inclusion of all individuals and promotes safety for those who struggle with various allergies. To find out more about the Teal Pumpkin Project click HERE.

Lately I have been finding the same problem that trick-or-treaters with allergies face on Halloween. While I always pack my own food and snacks for a day at school, sometimes it would be nice to be able to grab a gluten-free treat when I get myself a coffee. The psychology club on campus is having a bake sale and I offered to make muffins. When deciding what kind of muffins to bake I thought it would be great to make something that everyone can enjoy. There are always bake sales on campus that I find myself walking by without supporting, as I cannot usually enjoy any of the delicious treats. These Halloween inspired muffins are gluten, egg, and peanut free. They have the option of being dairy free, but the pumpkin marshmallow on top may contain milk. I did not place the marshmallow on all of the muffins, just in case.

Pumpkin Banana Chip Muffins

 1 Cup Pumpkin Puree

1/3 Cup Coconut Oil

2 Bananas

½ Cup Brown Sugar

½ Cup White Sugar

1 ½ Cups Gluten Free Flour

½ Tsp Baking Soda

1 Tsp Baking Powder

1 Tsp Xantham Gum

½ Cup Chocolate Chips

1 Tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

Cream Cheese Glaze

4 Oz Tofu Cream Cheese 

1/3 Cup Icing Sugar

Almond Milk

Cream together Pumpkin Puree, Oil, Bananas, and Sugar. Add try ingredients and mix until combined. Fold in Chocolate Chips. Fill Muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake at 350 Degrees for 25 Minutes. While the muffins are baking, beat the cream cheese and add Icing Sugar. Beat in Almond Milk, adding small amounts until you reach desired consistency. Once the muffins are cooled, cover with cream cheese glaze and enjoy!

I hope everyone can safely enjoy Halloween and have a few treats. If you are looking for a safe way to trick-or-treat, or want to provide a safe place for children with allergies please consider joining the Teal Pumpkin Project. I do not get trick-or-treaters in my neighborhood, but am going to keep some pencils and spider rings on hand just in case. I am still piecing together my costume, but it is going to be difficult to top last year’s homemade batman and robin costumes! After Halloween it will be time to start getting ready for final exams and Christmas! I have been making slow changes in my routine after my stomach attack, and am ready to share them with you all! Stay tuned for tips and recipes for getting back into healthy eating, weight watchers, and regular work outs after being knocked down for many weeks! It feels great to slowly be getting back to myself!   

Happy Halloween!

K.         

2013 Homemade Batman & Robin Costumes

Gluten Free Rhubarb Rainy Day Muffins

The fresh fruit topping on these muffins adds moisture and flavour to the muffins. The sweetness of the strawberry balances out the bitterness of the rhubarb for a party on the tastebuds. These are the perfect muffins for a spring treat. 

Tuesday was a rainy day in the Okanagan, but rainy days are the perfect days for baking! There were so many fresh fruits and vegetables at Dan O Ray Vegetables and inspiration was lurking around every corner! The colours were so bright, and everything smelled delicious. It was a hard choice between getting the ingredients for borsht, or making a fruit muffin. However, I am going camping for the long weekend and muffins are always the perfect snack. After getting some rhubarb it was time to start coming up with a rhubarb muffin recipe! My grandma has a great rhubarb muffin recipe, but it is filled with gluten and dairy! This would not work for my intolerances, but I wanted to keep the great flavour and texture.  I made some changes and added my own twist to the crumble and a few of the ingredients. Gluten free products can be really dry and have the texture of sawdust when substituting gluten free flour for regular flour in a 1-1 ratio. Depending on the flour I often find it necessary to increase the wet ingredients, or decrease the amount of gluten free flour.


Gluten Free Rhubarb Rainy Day Muffins
1 1/2 Cup Gluten Free Flour
1/2 Cup Gluten Free Oats
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1tsp Baking Soda
1tsp Baking Powder
1tsp Cinnamon
1tsp Nutmeg
1tsp Vanilla
1/2 Cup Apple Sauce
1/2 Cup So Delicious Vanilla Coconut Yogurt
1/2 Cup Almond Milk
1 Egg
2 Cups Rhubarb

Crumble Topping
1/4 Cup Almonds
1/4 Cup Coconut
1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
Strawberry Slices

Combine all wet ingredients and dry ingredients separately and then combine. Add the Rhubarb last. Mix the crumble topping in a separate bowl, without the strawberry slices. Once everything is mixed place in muffin tins (approx 1/3 cup of mix per muffin) and add the crumble to each muffin. Place a strawberry on top of each muffin. The strawberry adds some moisture and prevents crumbly or dry muffins.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

The only thing I would change about this recipe is the crumble. Next time I make these muffins I will add some coconut oil to the crumble so it has a moist texture! Other than that, they were great! They are the perfect mix of great flavours.

The best part of rainy days in the Okanagan is the fresh smell of all the flowers and grass when the sun decides to shine! The roses are in full bloom and everything looks wonderful and inviting! I cannot wait to head back next week. Until then it is time to get ready for a long weekend camping trip! Staying healthy while camping has been a challenge to plan, but with the right amount of organization it will be possible and fun! Check back Monday for a post about staying healthy in the great outdoors! 

Safe Travels this weekend!

K. 

Gluten Free Banana Muffins

Gluten free banana muffins are moist and full of flavour! They are allergen free and make the perfect snack or breakfast treat. They can be enjoyed fresh from the oven, or frozen and enjoyed at anytime!

Things are still crazy with school, but I am getting away this weekend to go camping with friends and family! I can not wait to get out of town and refresh before my finals next week. It will be a great time to get some fresh air and recharge my body and mind! Every trip needs a snack, and I have stocked by cooler with vegetables, fruits, crackers, and my favourite - MUFFINS! Muffins are necessary for road trips because they are quick, not messy, and can be enjoyed at anytime. I have finally perfected my Banana Muffin Recipe, and I cannot get enough of them! They have the perfect flavour, the right amount of chewyness, and butter or jam only makes the experience better!

These muffins are great because they are egg, gluten, and dairy free. They are full of fibre, and are relatively low for weight watchers points. I find that freezing bananas takes up a lot of space in the freezer, and frozen bananas do not do the flavour any justice. For this recipe you can blend all of the wet ingredients and freeze in a freezer bag. When you are ready to make muffins, unthaw and add to the dry ingredients. It saves time, and valuable freezer space. However, they are best if made when the bananas are starting to turn brown, and frozen after. These muffins can be frozen and taken out for lunches, snacks, and they are good for breakfast with a protein shake.





Gluten Free Banana Banana Muffins
3 Bananas
3/4 Cup Unsweetened Apple Sauce
1/2 Cup Almond Milk
1 Tbs Molases
1/4 Cup Coconut Oil

1 1/4 Cup Gluten Free Flour
3/4 Cup Oat Bran (or oats blended in the blender)
1 Tbs Flax Seed
2 Tsp Baking Powder
1 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tbs Cinnamon
1/2 Tbs Nutmeg

Blend all wet ingredients in the blender until smooth, add to the try ingredients. Put 1/3 Cup of mix into muffin tins and bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes.

Makes 15 Muffins

Being gluten free can be a struggle, but if you take the time to experiment with your ingredients you can enjoy great foods! Gluten free is a different lifestyle, but it should be looked at as a journey rather than a burden. You will be healthier and happier when you go gluten free if you suffer from celiacs or a gluten intolerance. 

I hope that everyone takes some time this weekend to get outside and enjoy some fresh air and summer. Everyone has bad days or weeks (even months). But Monday is the start of a new week, and the best way to start it off right is to take some time to refresh and recharge first! I know I plan to start the week with a bang! Next week is finals week for spring classes, and to stay sane I am going to make the time for yoga and regular workouts. I am beginning to miss the gym and need to get back into a routine because the days are passing by way to quickly. 

Happy Friday!

K.