Blueberry Muffins

I've started my prep work for when school starts and my kids want quick breakfasts.  Muffins are a staple in our house, and I make several batches at a time and freeze them.  We can pull them out as needed and give them a quick zap in the microwave for a quick, but fantastic breakfast.  I finally got around to making a traditional blueberry muffin recipe, so here it is:

Blueberry Muffins
2 cups GF flour blend
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional, you could also try nutmeg instead)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup dairy-free milk
1/3 cup agave, honey, or other liquid sweetener
1/3 cup canola or grapeseed oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups fresh blueberries

Directions
Preheat oven to 375F and line or grease muffin tins.

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.  In a separate bowl stir together the eggs, milk, agave, and oil.  Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.  Fold in the blueberries.  Fill muffin cups and bake ato 375F for 20-25 minutes.

This post was shared on Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Gluten Free Tuesdays, Allergy Free Wednesdays, Gluten Free Wednesdays, Waste Not Want Not Wednesdays, Whole Foods Fridays, Allergy Friendly Lunchbox Love, and Gluten Free Fridays.

Adopt a Blogger: Danielle from Against All Grains



I'm taking part in Adopt A Gluten-Free Blogger again. If you’re not familiar, Adopt A Gluten-Free Blogger is a monthly event created by Sea at Book of Yum to help us gluten-free bloggers get to know each other and recreate each others recipes. This month it is hosted by Alta from Tasty Eats At Home. This month, I adopted Danielle from Against All Grains. 

Danielle was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis at 22, and after suffering for a few years, decided to take her health in her own hands by drastically changing her diet.  Her blog is perfect for those on gluten-free, Paleo, Primal, SCD and GAPS diets.  Everything is grain-free and refined sugar-free, along with most also being dairy-free.  Her recipes are incredible, so it was hard to choose what to showcase on here.  I decided to go with her Not-a-Grain Bars (gluten-free 'cereal' breakfast bars), which meant I also would get to showcase her Blueberry Preserves, since they are part of the bar recipe.

So, first let's talk about these preserves.  I've been cutting back my refined sugar intake drastically (by the way, I feel so much better without sugar) and have been looking for a good refined sugar free jam recipe.  So, when I came across hers I had to try it.  It is super easy to make, and made just the right amount for me to enjoy.  It would be easy to make a larger batch or to switch up the fruit, as well.  This recipe will definitely be my new go-to jam/preserves recipe from here on out.

 Now let's take a look at these breakfast bars.  Don't they look delicious?  Well, they are definitely delicious.  They put Nutrigrain bars to shame with both taste and nutrition (and the fact that these are naturally gluten free).  These bars a protein packed and only sweetened with honey, so there definitely is no reason to feel guilty about eating them.

 And on top of that, they are kid-friendly.  My little one has been devouring them every day since I made them.  So, they are the perfect snack to add to school lunches or as an after school snack.  Really, this recipe will be made again and again in my house.

Thank you, Danielle, for your incredible blog with these fantastic recipes!

Cherry Berry Mango Smoothie

I love fruit and I love smoothies.  This week in our basket we got cherries, blueberries, and mangos (and a lot more)...so I thought I'd combine them in a smoothie.  I am not exaggerating when I say this is the best smoothie I've had in a long time, and I make smoothies all the time. 

My boys aren't huge smoothie drinkers, they'll take a sip and try it, but hardly ever have more...and I couldn't even get my little one away from my glass long enough this morning to take a picture...hence the picture of him drinking it.

Cherry Berry Mango Smoothie
1/2-3/4 cup apple juice (I used Simply Apple)
1/4 cup cherries (pitted, of course)
1/4 cup blueberries
1 mango, roughly chopped
4 ice cubes

Directions
Add ingredients together in a blender, and blend until smooth.  This makes own large smoothie for me (shared with my little one).

Honey Coconut Muffins with Blueberries

I had some leftover coconut milk from my butternut squash soup and hate to see things go to waste, so I made some muffins.  This was my first attempt at converting a regular muffin recipe to gluten-free and it worked! If you are not a fan of honey (I know there are some of you out there), add 1/2 C+2 T white sugar and 2T more of coconut milk in its place. I have this post linked on Cybele Pascal's Allegry-Free Cuisine blog for 4/1/11, you can see it and other great allergy friendly recipes here.

Honey Coconut Muffins with Blueberries

1/2 C coconut milk
1 egg
1/2 C honey (or 1/2C+2 T white sugar and 2 T additional coconut milk)
1 tsp vanilla
2/3 C brown rice flour
3 1/2 T potato starch
1 T + 2 1/2 tsp tapioca starch
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 C sweetened flaked coconut
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 C fresh or frozen blueberries

Preheat oven to 400F.  Combine coconut milk, egg, honey, and vanilla in a bowl and mix thoroughly.  In a separate bowl mix together dry ingredients.  Add dry ingredients to the wet, mixing just intil moistened.  Fold in blueberries.  Pour into lined or greased muffin tins. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Makes 1 dozen muffins.