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!