Gluten-free Blueberry Orange Muffin Recipe

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I was totally stumped with what to do with the coconut flour Bob's Red Mill sent in the trio of ingredients to review... We don't have any major gluten intolerance in my house, and there usually isn't anything fabulously-tasting about gluten-free foods. But, in a burst of creativity one night last week, Little Bear and I ventured into the world of gluten-free baking.

My expectations were low, but, I dare say that these little gems are so amazingly moist and flavorful, that no one will suspect that they are gluten free at all!

For an extra treat, we topped with whipped cream!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon coconut flour, sifted or whisked to remove lumps
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 extra large eggs
• 1/2 cup unrefined honey melted
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon orange extract 
• 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
• 1/2 cup fresh orange segments, finely chopped

Directions

1.  In a small bowl, mix together the coconut flour, salt and baking soda.

2.  In a large bowl, combine eggs, honey, coconut oil, vanilla, and orange extract. Mix on high until the mixture is even.

3.  Mix dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mixing on high until all of the lumps are removed (you aren't developing the gluten like you do with wheat flour, so you won't make the muffins tough by over mixing).

4.  Gently fold in blueberries & orange pieces.

5.  Fill baking cups about 3/4 full (about one level ice cream scoop per cup). I used the nut & party cups or the Martha Steward papers with foil on the inside, because they keep their color and shape beautifully after baking!

*someone* may have dipped into the batter before the muffins made it to the oven...

6.  Bake at 350° for about 20-25 minutes.

Makes 12 small muffins.

Forget everything you know about gluten-free baking, because you will be amazed by these muffins. I served them at a Stella & Dot trunk show I hosted this weekend, and everyone asked for the recipe!

Happy baking, y'all!

The Best {Whole Wheat} Waffles Ever!

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I've been tinkering with this recipe for months and months now, and I think I've finally got it down just darn near perfect (at least for our palates)! The greek yogurt and the eggs add a nice amount of protein (10 grams per waffle!), and the flax/chia add fiber (7 grams per waffle!) and omegas.

Our Sunday morning tradition has been to make a batch of these and then freeze the extras for toaster waffles through the week. Because we usually end up eating these in the car after hustling out the door (have I mentioned that neither Little Bear nor I are morning people??), I put the syrup in the batter and the coconut oil keeps them so moist that you don't need butter.

I finally broke down and traded my ancient waffle maker in for a fancy Waring Pro from Costco, so my recipe has been perfected on an Belgian waffler maker. You may need to adjust the consistency (more milk, probably) if your waffles are not quite right on your machine.

Ingredients

• 4 large eggs
• 2 cups greek yogurt
• 1 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1/2 cup maple syrup (the real thing, not flavored HFCS!)
• 2 1/2 cups milk (doesn't have to be dairy, I use coconut or rice milk)
• 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups whole wheat flour (I like WW pastry flour)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda (aluminum & GMO free!)
• 5 teaspoons baking powder (aluminum & GMO free!)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 cup chia seeds or roughly milled flax seed

Directions

1.  In a large bowl, combine eggs, yogurt, oil, syrup, milk, and vanilla. Stir until well combined.

2.  Add the remaining ingredients. Mix until just blended, but do not overmix.

3.  Scoop the mixture into a preheated, oiled waffle maker. I spray my waffle maker with unrefined olive oil with my Misto. The extra oil gives it a nice crisp outside while keeping the inside soft and moist. I put between 3/4 cup and 1 cup batter per waffle, but this will vary between waffle makers.

4.  Serve hot! Butter and dipping syrup are optional :)  I always let my extras cool and then cut them into toaster-sized pieces (quarters) and freeze. They are actually tastier out of the toaster than fresh!

For some added fun, try mixing in a handful of De Ruijter sprinkles - they melt better than the American waxed-fake-chocolate-flavored things, and they don't make the same huge mess that chocolate chips do. YUM-OLA! {If you haven't tried De Ruijter sprinkles, they are a MUST! You will never eat the fake mass-produced crap again.}

I Heart Cowboy Toast

I know what my loves will be having for breakfast on Valentine's Day! - cowboy toast (sometimes called toad-in-the-hole toast) with a heart-y twist  :)

Ingredients

• 1 slice whole wheat bread
• 1 medium egg
• 1/2 tablespoon butter/oil
• Salt & Pepper

Directions

1.  Toast the bread to a very light brown. Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out the center of the toast.

2.  Heat butter or oil in a skillet over medium heat.

3.  Put the toast in the skillet and crack an egg in the heart-shaped hole. Add salt & pepper to the top of the egg. Cover the skillet with a lid. Cook until the yolk is at the desired level of doneness (this is absolutely a matter of preference - just keep peeking until the egg is done enough for you/your Valentine).

4.  For the kids, you may want to flip the toast (with egg intact) to make sure the egg is well-done. This will ruin the heart shape slightly, but you probably don't want to risk serving them undercooked eggs!

Homemade Instant Trail Mix Oatmeal {Not your granny's recipe!}

I think I've been pretty open about my dislike of oatmeal. Sure, it lowers cholesterol... Sure, it is whole grain and is a "real food." Sure, it's high in fiber and low in calories... Sure it boosts your immune system... Sure, it's gluten-free... {someone stop me...}

But, it's OATMEAL. Blech. Just not my cup 'o tea...

However, Little Bear is (for whatever reason) a huge fan.

Since we got rid of our microwave, it's pretty time-consuming to make a bowl of traditional oatmeal. It has to be simmered and whatnot, and I'm just not a morning person. Seriously. At all. Plus, the instant oatmeal packets have tons of refined sugar and artificial flavors, and the 100% oatmeal instant oatmeal is just gross. (read: no oatmeal for LB in the mornings)

Cue the homemade instant oatmeal!

This was a weekend project for Mommy and LB (along with frozen bean burritos and breakfast burritos), and was actually really easy to throw together:

Ingredients

• 6 cups rolled oats
• 3 cups dried fruit
• 1 1/2 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened
• 1 cup nuts
• 1 cup chia seeds
• 1/2 cup turbinado sugar

Directions

Toast the oats in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Lightly pulse 2 cups of the oats in a food processor (just enough to roughly chop the oats.) Pulse 2 cups of the oats slightly longer, and pulse the remaining two cups into a coarse flour.

Chop the dried fruit, either by hand or in a food processor. You can use anything, but I usually use figs, dates, and apricots. If you use a food processor, throw a handful of the oats in with the fruit to keep it from sticking together in an icky mess.

Toast the nuts until they are fragrant, but be sure not to burn them - maybe 5 minutes (the oils in nuts will make them burn pretty quickly if left unattended). I use pecans, but any nut will work.

If you want, toast the coconut, too. I love the warm toasty flavors in the morning!

Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl. If you didn't add oats to the food processor with the fruit, you may have to break the fruit bits apart by hand, but the oats should help keep them from sticking once they're mixed together.

Unsweetned, Shredded Coconut

Store in an airtight container.

To serve, mix approximately equal parts oatmeal mix with equal parts hot water (I use my tea kettle to heat it up). Stir and let stand until thickened. Add more water, if needed. I think about 1/3 cup of the oatmeal makes a decent breakfast serving. It's much hardier and filling than the stuff sold in packets!

I have to admit that I actually really like this oatmeal! It's not gooey and is anything but bland. Plus, it's super versatile. Literally every ingredient except the oats can be subbed or eliminated without hurting the recipe!


My best estimate is that it's about $.50 per serving if you go all organic and buy from the bulk section. I wish I had a better price estimate for you, but it's harder to estimate bulk pricing when I buy ingredients for more than one purpose (ex, LB takes dried figs/dates/apricots for snack to school and I use chia in just about everything around here..)

**UPDATE:  I carefully measured out my ingredients from the organic bulk bins and and did the math. Each 1/3 cup serving came out to $.45! The price is just about the same as the Quaker junk, but this is real, wholesome food that will really give you a smart start to your day!**


What flavor combinations will you be trying??