GF Baking, Part 2: Best-Ever Banana (Nut-or-Not) Muffins

     Oh, I am so excited to be sharing this recipe (or "road map") for absolutely fabulous, gluten free Banana Nut Muffins! This is another recipe that started out with something I came across during a late night session perusing various websites, searching for some inspiration for my next endeavor in the kitchen. Since first discovering a mouthwatering recipe for traditional banana muffins, the evolution has been something like this: one, I noticed a comment posted to the original recipe that recommended a few changes which would make the recipe gluten free; next, there were several batches made as I attempted to choose the best additions (chocolate chips, walnuts, peanut butter chips, etc.); then it was on to a few tweaks for flavor, and veganizing the recipe. In the end, a delightful and distant cousin to the original...voila!  It must be said, I could not have been happier to have an excuse to bake up batches of these terrific treats as quickly as my bananas would brown. My husband, whom is free to eat whatever he might choose regardless of allergens, was equally giddy about them and even got in on the baking more than once! That, alone, is a testament to the quality of these perfect little nibbles. If you aren't eager for the recipe already, let me add that they make a delicious (and nutritious) breakfast, afternoon snack or late night bite. Seriously, how can you go wrong?! 
     I promise we'll get to the good stuff in just a moment, but first, I should take a second to make a disclaimer in regards to the MANY options that you have when making these for your family. Depending upon which ingredients you opt to include (or omit), this recipe can be made gluten-free, nut-free, dairy-free, egg-free, vegan, or none of the above.*  If you are not sure if an ingredient fits safely into the diet of the person(s) who will be eating these muffins, please just leave it out and proceed with the recipe as written. As I mentioned, we have had these muffins in almost every variation possible and even when pared down to the bare bones, they are truly the Best-Ever Banana Muffins. And now, on with the show!!

These ones had dark chocolate and nuts, a little carrot, too!

 Best-Ever Banana (Nut-or-Not) Muffins

• 1/2c rice flour
• 1/2c sorghum flour or millet flour**
• 1/2c tapioca starch (aka tapioca flour)
• 1 plus 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp xanthan gum
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 4 very ripe bananas, peeled and mashed
• 1/3c Earth Balance vegan buttery spread (or dairy butter), melted
• 1/2c agave nectar (or 2/3c sugar)
• 1 egg, lightly beaten (or 1 Tbsp ground flax seed mixed with 3 Tbsp warm water)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1/4c vegan sour cream, applesauce or light dairy sour cream
• 1c total, any combination of the following: chopped walnuts, golden raisins, dried cranberries, dark chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, sweetened coconut flakes, or grated carrot

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 12 muffin cups with paper baking liners and coat lightly with cooking spray. 

Into a small bowl, sift together the flours, baking soda, xanthan gum and salt.

In a large bowl, using a wooden spoon, combine the mashed bananas and melted butter.

Add the agave nectar (or sugar), egg (or flax seed mixture), vanilla and almond extract to the large bowl.  Mix well with the spoon until thoroughly combined.

Next, add the sifted flour mixture to the moist ingredients and stir just until well blended.

Add the sour cream (or alternative) and stir again to incorporate.

Fold in 1 cup of the selected additional ingredients (eg: nuts, baking chips and coconut).

Using a 1/4c measure, spoon the batter into prepared muffin cups. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly on a wire rack before removing from pan.

Once completely cooled, muffins may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days or freezer for up to 1 month. Simply remove them from the freezer and warm them for 15-30 seconds in a microwave before serving, no need to thaw!

Yields 12 muffins.

Gluten-Free w/options for Nut-Free, Egg-Free, Dairy-Free or Vegan.

*If you do not need to restrict gluten in your diet, feel free to substitute 1 plus 1/2 cup all-purpose flour for the 1/2c each of rice, sorghum and tapioca flour. Omit the xanthan gum entirely and proceed with the recipe as written. An additional 2-4 minutes baking time may be required. 
 
**Millet flour is a healthier option here. It can be a bit of a challenge to find it without shopping online, but you can easily make your own by running store-bought millet through a coffee or spice grinder. Use a fine setting such as "espresso" for the best results. If you find you have ground more than you need to use immediately, it can be stored in a resealable zip-top bag along with your other gluten-free flours. This same process works for milling blanched almonds and hazelnuts as a less expensive alternative to buying packaged nut flours!

"Almost Better Than The Real Thing" Buttermilk Biscuits

     Those of you who follow this blog regularly may have noticed that I tend to shy away from posting recipes for baked goods, even though a HUGE part of following a gluten free diet is finding acceptable substitutions for all the breads, cakes and cookies that we once enjoyed. Some of this avoidance has been due to my novice abilities when it comes to converting recipes that call for traditional wheat flour, and some has come from the generally disappointing results that come with so many gluten free goodies both commercial and homemade. Its something we've all had to face at some point in the transition to an allergen free lifestyle. It is nearly impossible to get the taste, texture and shelf life of a wheat product, even after putting in an exhausting effort. I am happy to say, however, that I have made quite a breakthrough with my gluten free baking as of late! I am even happier to say that I am ready to share a few of the best recipes from my kitchen adventures with all of you readers!! Today's post will be the first in a three part series, to include: Buttermilk Biscuits, Banana Nut Muffins and Cowboy Cookies (Courtesy of Mary B.) I hope you will stay tuned and enjoy all of these delicious num-nums, each one more than the last!

WARM, BUTTERY AND HARD TO RESIST

     Before we get to the recipe for these uber-tasty "Almost Better Than The Real Thing" Buttermilk Biscuits, let me mention a few important things. First, credit is owed to the Gluten Free Girl, who posted the recipe for biscuits upon which my version is based. There are some great things on her blog and it is definitely worth checking out. My thanks to her for inspiring me! Second, this recipe calls for seasoning blend, aka seasoning salt. There are hundreds of different varieties available, some are safe for those avoiding gluten and others are not. I recommend Morton Nature's Seasons Seasoning Blend which, as of this posting, is gluten free.  As with all products, formulations often change. Be sure to read the label before you buy and you will be sure to keep clear of troublesome additives! Lastly, this recipe also puts to use potato starch flour. Potato STARCH flour is not the same thing as potato flour and yields a very different end result. This is probably one of the most confusing issues in gluten free baking. There is a good explanation of the difference at Gluten Free Help, if you would like a bit more information. My suggestion is to use Ener-G Potato Starch Flour. It is generally available at larger supermarkets and most any health food store, but you can also purchase it online. So now that we have all the "business" taken care of, let's get on to the fun of baking and the joy of eating some beautifully textured, fantastically flavored and impossible to resist buttermilk biscuits!

Almost-Better-Than-The-Real-Thing Buttermilk Biscuits

HOT, BUTTERED, BISCUIT JOY!

• 1/2 cup sorghum flour
• 1/2 cup tapioca flour
• 1/2 cup potato starch flour
• 1/2 cup sweet rice flour*
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp xanthan gum
• 1 1/4 tsp seasong salt blend
• 5 Tbsp butter flavor shortening
• 2 egg whites
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 tsp butter flavored extract**

 Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

 Sift together the flours, baking powder, xanthan gum and seasoning blend into a large bowl.

Cut the shortening into small pieces, add to the dry ingredients and use your fingers, a pastry cutter or two knives to cut the shortening into the flour mixture. The shortening should look like small peas when you are finished.

In a small bowl, whisk the egg whites until they are foamy. You can do this by hand, as it only takes a few seconds.

Add the egg whites, buttermilk and butter extract to the flour mixture and fold them in using a rubber spatula. You can add a little more buttermilk if necessary to bring the dough together, but use care and add only a teaspoon at a time. The dough should hold together and be moist, but DO NOT let it get "wet." Once the ingredients are combined, use your hands to work it just a bit. Over-handling the dough will make the biscuits tough so resist the temptation to keep working it once it comes together.

Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, drop balls of the dough onto an ungreased baking tray. With slightly moistened hands, roll each ball gently until smooth and round. Flatten slightly with your palm and space evenly on the cooking sheet.

Bake the biscuits for 20-25 minutes at 450 degrees, until light golden brown. You can use a toothpick to test them. It should have just a bit of slightly dry dough when inserted  and removed from the center of a biscuit.

  

Once removed from the oven, the biscuits are ready to eat. However, if you can wait a few minutes more, wrap them immediately in aluminum foil and allow them to rest for 5-10 minutes. This will "steam" them and create a softer biscuit similar to a traditional wheat flour biscuit.

TO MAKE SWEET BISCUITS OR SHORTCAKES:  Omit the seasoning blend and add 2 tablespoons of sugar, honey or agave nectar. Follow instructions given for biscuits above.

Yields 1 dozen small biscuits.

Gluten free, Nut free & Delicious.

*Sweet rice flour is not the same as rice flour or brown rice flour. I have found that some stores stock it in the Asian or ethnic aisle and not in the gluten free area. Be sure to ask for help if you have trouble finding it in any well-stocked grocery or health food store.  You may substitute rice flour in a pinch.

**If you can not find butter flavored extract in your regular market, try any arts & crafts store that carries cake decorating supplies. I recommend the Wilton brand extract. You can also omit this ingredient, if you wish, but you will lose some of the buttery flavor in the biscuits.