Easy Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins Recipe

Gluten free blueberry muffins can be a cinch to make. A few weeks ago I shared my revised recipe for a gluten free master baking mix (like Bisquick, but much healthier.) The great thing about this mix is the ease of preparation for so many baked goods!  Muffins are one of the first recipes I tried with the new mix.

I've made double chocolate chip muffins, apple cinnamon muffins, and these lovely little blueberry muffins. Each batch turned out a really delicious, light, and fluffy muffin! This recipe is for a small batch of 6 muffins. It could easily be doubled or tripled depending on how many muffins you need.

For high rising gluten free muffins, make sure to fill your muffin tin until it's almost full. Another trick: To get pretty round muffin tops -- wet your finger with water and smooth out the top of the muffin batter before placing it in the oven.

What are your favorite kinds of muffins? What types of recipes would you like to see using the Gluten Free Master Baking Mix?

Easy Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins
free of gluten, dairy/casein, and soy
created by carrie @ gingerlemongirl.com
Print-friendly recipe
Makes 6 muffins

1 cup Revised Gluten Free Master Baking Mix
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup frozen blueberries (do not defrost!)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with 6 paper liners. In a medium sized bowl add gluten free master baking mix and sugar. Stir together and add milk, egg, and vanilla. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Fold in frozen blueberries. Fill muffin tins 3/4 full with batter. Bake for 17-20 minutes until muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack and serve!


Carrie's Notes:

• Egg-Free Option: Replace the egg called for with 3 tablespoons of hot water mixed with 1 tbsp. of ground flax seeds. 
• I haven't tried the muffins using agave nectar or honey in place of the sugar, although I'm quite positive it would work with very good results!
• Muffins are one of the most adaptable gluten free baked goods. If you don't have any Master Baking Mix, use any type of gluten free pancake or baking mix you have on hand. Make sure the mix has leavening ingredients and xanthan gum! 

This recipe has been listed at Amy's Slightly Indulgent Tuesday's! Make sure to check out her blog for other fantastically healthy & delicious gluten free, sugar free recipes! 

Lemon Almond Lavender Cookies by Lauren of Do Not Feed the Editor

Today's guest post & recipe is shared by Lauren of  Do Not Feed the Editor.

I’m not a purely gluten-free baker, but I believe that everyone deserves to eat delicious baked goods. When a friend who hadn’t had a cookie since discovering her wheat allergy came to visit, I created these lemon-lavender-almond cookies for her.

If you’ve never used culinary-grade lavender before but enjoy herbal flavors, I think you’ll become as fast a fan of it as I have. It can be purchased directly from farmers (like North Carolina’s excellent Mountain Farm), from a market with an extensive dry-goods stock (if you’re in the Atlanta area, look in the tea section of Dekalb Farmer's Market), or from Amazon, and it lends a depth of flavor to quickbreads, cookies, brewed tea, and even summery cocktails.

These cookies are buttery & chewy, with a sweet toastiness and added tenderness from the almond meal and lovely hints of bitterness from the lemon zest and lavender flowers. They were a bit crumbly right out of the oven, but firmed up into perfect chewiness the following day – so consider making them ahead. Too delicate for coffee, I think they’d be perfect served with a cup of black tea. Perhaps with a bit of lavender brewed in?

Lemon-Almond-Lavender Cookies
Makes 2 to 3 dozen

1.5 tsp dried culinary-grade lavender buds, minced fine
1 lemon worth of zest (~1 tbsp), minced
1/3 cup almond meal (store-bought or home-ground from blanched almonds)
1 cup rice flour, sifted to remove any large grainy bits
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar (if you don't have this, omit the baking soda and use 1 1/2 tsp baking powder to substitute for both)
1/8 tsp salt
8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp amaretto, if you happen to have some (a teensy dash of almond extract might not go awry as a substitution for this -- maybe 1/4 tsp? Distilled liquors and extracts are generally gluten-free, but always check your labels!)
1/4 cup granulated white sugar for rolling the cookies in
An extra few pinches of lavender buds for decoration

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and grease your baking sheet, then dust the sheet with a tablespoon of rice flour, tapping to distribute and discard the excess.
Combine the dry ingredients (lavender, zest, almond meal, rice flour, salt, and leavening agent/s) in a medium bowl and whisk to thoroughly combine.
In a larger bowl, measure out your butter and sugar. Using an electric beater on medium speed, cream them together for 2 minutes. Add your egg, lemon juice, and any amaretto/almond extract you're using and beat for another minute to incorporate evenly. Add your dry ingredients to your wet ingredients and mix manually with a spoon to combine.
Place that extra 1/4 cup of sugar in a small dish or on a small plate. Take a rounded teaspoonful of dough from the bowl and roll it into a ball in your hands, then roll it in the sugar to coat. Flatten it slightly by either pressing the ball into a sort of scallop-shaped disk with your fingers, or just put a thumbprint in it once it’s on the baking sheet (a good couple inches apart from its cookie compatriots). Sprinkle two or three lavender buds on top of each cookie and bake for 7–10 minutes. You can tell these are done when they're golden around the edges and look dry on top. Also, they'll be more springy than mushy if you gently poke the top with a finger.
Allow the cookies to cool for a couple minutes on the baking sheet, then remove them to a wire rack until they're completely cool and can be removed to your belly a decorative plate that you will obviously share with your friends.
These keep very well in a sealed container for two or three days. If you'd like to make the dough ahead, you could seal it up and refrigerate it for up to a week or freeze it for up to 3 months, sans sugar coating, and then coat & bake on demand.

About Lauren:

Lauren wants everyone to eat tasty things, and hopes that her restaurant reviews and recipes at Do Not Feed the Editor encourage people to do just that. When she’s not writing or eating, Lauren is usually editing medical manuscripts, picture books, or strange novels – or failing to convince her dog that really-for-seriously, neither soccer balls nor thunderstorms are out for blood.

Gluten Free Chicken Lettuce Wraps by The Gluten Free Notebook

Today's guest post & recipe is shared by celiac sisters Shelley and Suman of the blog, The Gluten Free Notebook. 


Gluten Free Chicken Lettuce Wraps

I made these on a whim one day, wanting something light and fresh on a very hot summer day. They turned out delicious!

Chicken:

• 1-2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized strips or pieces
• salt and pepper to taste

Add a drizzle of olive oil in a frying pan and heat on med-high heat and sauté chicken until no longer pink. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Noodles: 

1 package A Taste of Thai Peanut Noodles or any other flavoured gluten free rice noodles of your preference.

Cook as per directions on the package.

Vegetable mixture:

• 1/2 small onion finely chopped
• 1 celery stalk finely diced
• 2 carrots grated (reserve one grated carrot for topping the lettuce wraps at the end)
• 6-7 button mushrooms diced
• 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon gluten free soy sauce
• salt and pepper to taste

In a frying pan, heat the olive oil and add all chopped vegetables except mushrooms. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until onion has softened slightly. Add the mushrooms and the soy sauce and continue to cook until the mushrooms reduce. Remove mixture from heat.

Fresh Toppings:

• 1 grated carrot (reserved from above)
• 5 green onions chopped (green and white parts)
• blanched peanuts-coarsely chopped

You will also need:

• 1 head of iceberg lettuce, washed and carefully separated
• sweet chilli sauce
• gluten free plum sauce (optional)

To assemble: Take one piece of lettuce; add a few spoonfuls of the veggie mixture. Add chicken, and then add noodles, fresh grated carrot and sprinkle with some of the chopped green onions. Sprinkle some chopped peanuts over top. Finish with a drizzle of sweet chilli sauce and/or plum sauce. I used both. Just remember that a little of each goes a long way. Wrap and enjoy.  If you are a vegetarian, just leave the chicken out and the recipe tastes just as good.

Serves 3-4

About Shelley & Suman

Shelley and Suman are two celiac sisters discovering the gluten-free way of life in the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley! Having been diagnosed since 2004, they are constantly learning about the gluten-free lifestyle and hope to help others through their website (www.glutenfreenotebook.com).

The Gluten Free Notebook is a collaboration of Shelley and Suman’s gluten-free findings in Vancouver, Canada and its surrounding suburb Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley. On their website, one can find a compilation of places to shop for GF items, a list of their favourite GF products, their favourite recipe books and websites. In addition, they include any gluten free restaurants they have discovered in the area.  Shelley and Suman love to find great new recipes, healthy alternatives and are passionate about finding new gluten free products and dining options. All this information is shared on their website as a resource in the hopes of helping others find more GF options.

Overwheated by Momnivore's Dilemma

Today's guest post is shared by Momnivore of the gluten free/casein free family living blog, Momnivore's Dilemma.

Overwheated: Living gluten-free in the land of deep dish pizza 

In April, my son Moose bombed his 30 month evaluation from Early Intervention.  His developmental delays in cognition and speech were enough to warrant something drastic. Given that Moose lived for bread and dairy products, I knew something wasn’t right.

Moose’s OT Ms. Michelle mentioned improvements in another one of her client’s families once the child began a GFCF diet.  Several books, consults with doctors, and countless hours on the web later, I removed dairy from Moose’s diet. Next on the docket, gluten.

Here’s Moose enjoying GFCF grilled “cheese”:

Suddenly, new words emerged.  He said “Mom” for the first time in over a year.  He made eye contact.  His dermatitis on his chunky thighs cleared.

A few weeks later, we booted gluten from our house.  His therapy team raved about the changes in his behavior.  My husband and I were thrilled with the changes we were seeing in our son.  Namely, he started taking a nap again.


See, here’s proof:

Earlier this month, some of the small gains we saw began to disappear.  So, I took him in for allergy testing, and voila, soy became the new culprit.

Unfortunately, soy is a primary ingredient in many of our favorite GF products.  Avoiding gluten and dairy (casein) is hard enough, but coupling those restrictions with soy has been challenging.  Also, Moose is a picky eater to being with.  He won’t touch any vegetables, rice, pastas, or eggs.

Once my son began this diet, I decided to support him by doing it as well. Two months later, my chronic migraines disappeared.  My moods improved, and my energy levels rivaled my two toddlers.  In July, I learned I was gluten intolerant.

Growing up in an Italian family in Chicago, I was conditioned to think pasta and bread were “good” for me.  Now, I see those staples in a much different light.

 Momnivore lives in the second city with her husband, The King of Chicago, their wild toddlers Moose and Monkey, and their fur child Doodle.  She blogs about parenting and GFCFSF at www.momnivoresdilemma.blogspot.com.  

Gluten Free Pasta Recipe for Chicken Noodle Soup

Homemade gluten free chicken noodle soup... or also known as chicken pastry in Eastern NC

Before going gluten free I had never attempted to make homemade pasta. Why bother if you could pick up a box of spaghetti noodles at the store on the way home? Most days I still feel that way. Thank GOODNESS for Tinkyada. 

When I moved to Eastern NC for college one of the first local foods I learned about was chicken pastry. I had never heard of this dish. My mother made chicken & dumplings when I was growing up. The dumplings were basically biscuits that were added to a mixture of chicken broth and cream of chicken soup and they were allowed to "bake" on top of the soup in a covered pot. They were light & fluffy and soaked in that delicious chicken broth. It still brings back good memories. 

Eastern NC's answer to my mom's chicken & dumplings is chicken pastry. Basically thick noodles cooked in chicken broth. These noodles are usually either homemade or bought in the freezer section of North Carolina grocery stores. A popular brand to buy is Anne's, which are marketed as flat dumplings. But don't call them dumplings, my mother-in-law wouldn't have the slightest idea what you were talking about. 

Turns out making homemade noodles, pasta, or pastry as we say in Eastern NC... it's not hard. It took me less than 20 minutes to mix the dough and roll out the noodles for our soup last night. 20 minutes. It would take that long to cook a box of pasta (which on most nights, trust me... I'd rather do!) 

Making homemade gluten free pasta. I rolled the dough out by hand and cut the strips with a pizza cutter. 

This recipe is a variation of Thomas's gluten free pasta for pierogies. It's a simple dough and the recipe just works well. I've made this probably 10-12 times now and each time... it makes great noodles. If you have a pasta machine the dough would work beautifully with it. 

I make the dough, divide it into three balls and quickly roll it out into thick strips of pasta. You could make ravioli, spaghetti, linguine, fettuccine... basically any kind of gluten free pasta you want. It's versatile, easy and quick. 

Personally I like thick chicken pastry best. Basic chicken soup with thick homemade noodles. I added a can of mixed vegetables and cooked, diced chicken to make a complete meal. Meals like this are pure comfort food to me. Don't be intimidated by fresh noodles. You can make homemade gluten free chicken noodle soup in 35 minutes. Why aren't you headed to the kitchen? 

Gluten Free Chicken Noodle Soup/ AKA Chicken Pastry with mixed vegetables.
The noodles take less than 5 minutes to cook!

Easy Gluten Free Pasta Recipe

free of gluten, dairy, and soy

adapted by Carrie @ www.gingerlemongirl.com from this recipe by Thomas of GF/CF Experience

print-friendly recipe

Dry Ingredients:

1/3 cup brown rice flour

1/3 cup sorghum flour

1/3 cup arrowroot starch 

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

1/4 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients:

2 eggs

1 tbsp. non-dairy margarine

2 tablespoons almond milk

Directions:

In a medium sized bowl whisk together the dry ingredients. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the eggs, margarine, and milk. Stir the wet & dry ingredients together until you get a ball of thick, slightly sticky dough. Divide the dough into three balls. Sprinkle a flat, dry surface with brown rice flour so the pasta doesn't stick when you roll it out. I like to use a silpat mat or a flexible cutting board. Place your ball of dough in the center of your flat surface. Sprinkle the top of the dough with additional brown rice flour. Place a sheet of plastic wrap on top of the ball of dough. Roll out the dough into a wide, flat rectangle (as seen in the 2nd picture above). Cut strips of pasta (using a pizza roller) as thick or as thin as you want them. Place them on a plate and continue rolling out your balls of dough. Make sure to use more brown rice flour if you need too to prevent the noodles from sticking. 

To COOK gluten free pasta: 

Drop the pasta into hot boiling water or broth and cook for 5-8 minutes until pasta is the texture you desire. Drain & rinse the pasta to use with sauces. Leave the pasta in the broth for soup. 

For Quick Gluten Free Chicken Noodle Soup:

Heat 32 oz. of chicken stock/broth in a soup pot. Add 1-2 cups of cooked chicken, a drained can of mixed vegetables. Heat the soup until boiling and then add 1 batch of gluten free pasta. Cook for 5-8 additional minutes until pasta is cooked to your liking. Serve immediately. 

Carrie's Notes: 

• Be GENTLE with the pizza cutter if you're using a silpat mat, you don't want to cut your mat. I usually place an additional piece of plastic wrap on top of the silpat mat to prevent cutting it. 

• You know I love whole grain flours, but I think in this recipe you could use your favorite gluten free flour mix in place of the 1 cup of gluten free flour called for, just make sure it's not a baking mix with leavening... unless you want really puffy pasta!

• For the margarine -- I used earth balance soy free margarine. I don't see why it wouldn't work with simply using olive oil or coconut oil though. Try it and see if you're opposed to margarine.

I added this to Gluten Free Homemaker's Wednesday Roundup! Make sure to stop by and check out all of the other wonderful gluten free recipes listed!