Healthy & Moist Allergy/Gluten Free (& Vegan) Anytime Muffins

One day, over a year ago, while looking for a great muffin recipe I came across this recipe for Healthy Power Muffins, over at Go Dairy Free. I fell in love with it and Ninja and I ate it as is for the longest time.

After a while I wanted to see if I could get it a bit lighter and moister, so I began tinkering with the recipe to get it to my liking. Now don’t get me wrong, while I believe I was a chef in another life, I am NOT one of those people who can easily manipulate a recipe to success. In fact I was downright horrified to make any changes; Lord knows that allergy free products are far too expensive to waste.

But…somehow, someway I got up the nerve. First I worked on the moistness. I took a ‘lil somethin’ I learned on some other recipe for something altogether different and added it in. SUCCESS!

Then, I tackled the density. I did tons of research on flours all over again, in the attempt to see how I might tweak my go-to pancake recipe. And ding, ding, ding…another idea. Once again I added a 'lil somethin' and this time taking away a 'lil somethin' too. Aaaaaand…SUCCESS!

That was it...three modifications and I now have the muffin I absolutely love to eat. It is lighter on my palate and it is not only more moist, but it stays moister longer. That sounds like a commercial doesn’t it, “It stays moister longer,” LOL! But seriously, it does.

And so, the recipe.

Healthy & Moist Allergy/Gluten Free (& Vegan) Anytime Muffins

• 3/4 c. Buckwheat flour

• 1/2 c. Teff flour

• 1/4 c. Tapioca flour

• 1 t. ground cinnamon

• 1 t. baking powder

• 1/2 t. baking soda

• 1/4 t. sea salt (can use plain salt)

• 3 Medium-sized, ripe mashed bananas

• 1/4 c. Organic unsweetened applesauce

• 1/4 c. coconut oil (or your favorite baking oil)

• 1/4 c. honey or maple syrup (or desired sweetness)

• 1 t. vanilla extract

• 1/3 c. Hemp seeds

• 1/3 c. Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips 

1. Preheat your oven to 375ºF and grease a muffin pan (can also use silicone muffin cups)

1. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the buckwheat flour, tapioca flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

1. In a mixing bowl, blend the banana, applesauce, coconut oil, honey (or maple syrup), and vanilla (it is okay to have some small banana lumps).

1. Fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients, stirring until just combined.

1. Stir in the hemp seeds and chocolate chips.

1. Pour the batter into the muffin pan, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until slightly browned on top (insert a toothpick to make sure it comes out clean, keeping in mind that the melted chocolate chips may show on the stick).

1. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then place on a baking rack until cool (although I begin gobbling them right after the 5 minutes!).

Don't tell anyone but I gobble two of these babies down straight out of the oven. Don't worry, you will see why soon (and I won't tell on you either).

This is what a ripe banana looks like. Exactly!! Like the ones you usually throw away (shame on you). In the words of Jace (my lovely three year old toddler, stop doing that!!! Those are the best ones for baking! They smell and taste horrible as is, but boy oh boy do they make for some rich sweet baked goodies. Trust me. I wouldn’t steer you wrong ;-). Don't fret if you don't have bananas this ripe, just use what you have.

Here's a tip. Mix up a few batches of the dry ingredients only (except for the hemp seeds and chocolate chips, which are folded in at the end), place them in a Ziploc bag and store them in the fridge. That way "anytime" you have a hankering for some of these great muffins, it'll only take you moments to whip them up. I keep at least three batches on hand at all times. So here’s what I do:

1. Take out three quart sized Ziploc bags and label them “Muffin Mix” or whatever you want to call it. It’s harder to label them once they are full.
2. Begin measuring the dry ingredients, filling each bag as you go. In order to stay organized I spread the bags far enough apart that I don’t get confused. I put the same ingredient in each of the bags before moving on to the next ingredient (like Buckwheat flour, buckwheat flour, buckwheat flour…then on to teff flour).
3. Give the bag a good 'ole shake, shake, shake.
4. Zip them up and pop them in the fridge.

That way when you gotta have those muffins, they are only a few wet ingredients away!

As you mix your flour just make sure you don’t get as carried away as my Little Ninja does as he shakes the bags for mommy. But just in case you do, please post a pic and give us all a laugh for the day.

I call these "Anytime" muffins because we find ourselves eating them, well, anytime. Breakfast...muffin. Dinner...muffin. Wednesday...muffin. I'm happy...muffin. It's raining...muffin. I want some coffee...muffin. Thomas the Train fell off the track...muffin. Even when my toddler begs for an impromptu birthday party months after his actual birthday, full with candles, singing, presents and all (hence the photo above). But you get the point; these are truly ANYTIME muffins, people.

Enjoy!

The Allergen-Free Baker's Handbook (Cybele Pascal) - A Book to Save Your Allergen-Free/Vegan Baking Life!

So far on this 3 ½ year allergy journey I have read, studied, and tried recipes from countless blogs and cookbooks. There is only one that I have come across that hasn’t failed me yet. Any allergy mom knows all too well the excitement that builds when you see a recipe that looks perfect for your needs; the determination to find those foreign named ingredients that she has never heard of and the pressure of making multiple trips to different stores to piece them together; as well as the trepidation she feels as she crafts recipes that seem so far out of her gluten/wheat/dairy/egg/soy/tree nut-filled cooking comfort zone. Lord knows I have disgustedly trashed my share of finished dishes, watching my money go down the drain. My head has exploded countless times with frustration, and I have cried many tears.

But...along came a jewel, and from that point this allergy mama’s life was changed!! Thank you Cybele Pascal! If you were not married with two beautiful boys with allergies, I promise I would marry you and figure out a way for us to conceive some allergy laden kids just so we could cook your recipes. I know, that sounds crazy right? But what allergy mom isn’t already crazy!!!??? After all, we endure so much. So without further ado I introduce to you, Cybele Pascal’s, The Allergen-Free Baker’s Handbook. The allergy mom’s bible.

There is not one recipe in this book that I have tried that was not delicious. I mean that. I’m a foodie who loves to cook, and who truly knows the taste of great food. I am not in any way affiliated with Mrs. Pascal or her work. I am independent of it all. I'm just a groupie. I have had this book for two years and I reach for it at all times. And I vouch for it and her and each and every finger-lickin’ recipe you will dare to try.

Her gluten free beer bread is my go to bread recipe. It is quick and EASY and good. I like to enjoy turkey and cheese paninis on it while my picky munchkin enjoys cinnamon or jelly toast.

Her blueberry muffins are slap-your-mama good. Moist (almost too moist), rich and full of blueberry yumminess.

Her treats are what I reach for when I want to allow Jace a REAL treat. Her brownies make you forget you’re on an allergen-free diet and her cupcakes, well let’s just say you can never go wrong. The only downside is how I feel when I’ve become the glutton who relentlessly attacks the treats, only to sit in a guilty stooper after.

Mrs. Pascal also generously chocks the book with an extremely helpful, resource-filled section on how to stock your allergen-free pantry and a separate full section thoroughly detailing the ins-and-outs of allergen-free baking. So on top of the make-you-feel-normal-tempt-your-tummy goodness, she gives you an education that money just can’t buy. I guess you will buy the book, but you get it, right?

So, if you are an allergy mama and haven’t done so already, GET THIS BOOK! Then get your baking groove on. Feed your allergy babe some amazingly tantalizing baked goods. And then feed your own face as you smile because mama’s got a brand new bag! Well, we’re not talking bags here, but you get the point. Heck, you won’t need a reason to smile because when all is said and done, you will be in baked good heaven, and whoever wouldn’t smile about that is just crazy-ER than your average allergy mom (hee hee hee).

I purchased my book from Amazon here. Take a look and read through the reviews; there are over a hundred, giving it 4.5 stars out of 5. So...I’m not the only one tooting this horn.

Learn more about Cybele, subscribe to get her recipes, and find links to her video tutorials here.

Enjoy!