Gluten Free Orange Oat Muffins

Since I royally messed up this recipe a couple months ago, I'd thought I'd give it another go now that I know a little more about gluten free baking. This time I used these ingredients:

• 1/4 cup grape seed oil
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 2 tbsp orange carrot juice
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp minced orange peel
• 1 cup almond flour/meal
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/4 cup all purpose gluten free baking flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/3 cup raisins

Original recipe and cooking directions can be found here.

This muffin recipe really is incredible, definitely my favorite. Sorry blueberry almond meal muffins- I love you but you're in second place now.

Mmmmm Baked Tofu

Tonight I tried baking tofu for the first time. And I'm glad to say it turned out great! I could have eaten the whole pan.

The fried rice recipe is super easy. I made some jasmine rice (1 cup uncooked). Then I heated about 1/3 cup frozen peas and carrots in a wok with some sesame oil. Once hot I added the cooked rice, sweet potato (I baked this while the rice was cooking. Just peel, chop, lightly coat in olive oil and sea salt, and bake at 375 for 20 minutes), 2 tsp sesame oil, and 2 tbsp soy sauce to the wok, and heated until well mixed.

For the tofu I followed these directions, except I marinated in hoisin sauce and baked at 375 degrees.

Granola Bar Cookies

I'm a big fan of baking with whatever random items I happen to have in my kitchen. That's how this cookie recipe turned into this one! It's yummy AND full of protein and fiber.

Ingredients:

• 1-1/4 cups rolled oats
• 1/4 cup sugar (I used 1/8 cup white and 1/8 cup brown this time)
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 2 tbsp butter, softened
• 2 tbsp raisins
• 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
• 2 tbsp chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a cookie sheet. Combine all ingredients well. Place "dough" on cookie sheet (make whatever size cookies you want). Bake for about 12 minutes. Cool and enjoy!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

My husband had a sweet tooth tonight, so I decided to make some quick and easy gluten free peanut butter cookies. I tried out this recipe from Delicious As It Looks. I didn't have any kisses, so I just used chocolate chips. They turned out really good and pretty dense. Tip: they get crispier on the edges as they cool. Wait to eat them if you can!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine peanut butter, sugar, egg, and chocolate chips. Roll into little balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes.

Hearty Granola

I just spent my afternoon running 8 miles (half marathon is in only 5 more weeks!), and now I'm in the mood to make some healthy food! About to start some quinoa chili while my granola is in the oven. Will post that recipe next, but here is a FODMAP free twist on my favorite granola recipe, which can be found here.

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cup gluten free rolled oats
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/4 cup chopped raw pecans
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 4 tbsp creamy peanut butter
• 3 tbsp maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease baking sheet. In a large bowl mix together peanut butter, maple syrup, cinnamon, and vanilla. Once well combined add in all dry ingredients and coat well. Spread across baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes. Toss granola and bake for another 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Granola will continue to harden as it cools.

Blueberry Almond Meal Muffins

Well, it's Saturday night and I'm at home with 4 dogs, making muffins, and watching a tv show about cute animals eating. Seriously, it's just cute animals eating. Is this what happens when you get old?

So back to muffins. My dietician gave me a list of foods to add to my diet and almond meal was one of them. I found this great recipe on damyhealth.com and decided to give it a shot. I'm almost Paleo now- my meals are always supposed to consist of a protein and healthy fat, and I can basically eat as much fat as I want as long as it's mostly from things like oils, nuts, seeds, and avocado. Apparently fat actually helps you lose weight! A quick explanation of the types of fats can be found here. This is a really healthy muffin option too because there are no grains in the recipe at all, just almond meal aka almond flour, which is just ground up almonds (helloooo protein!). It even tastes just like a muffin made with grain and has a fluffy consistency too. This muffin will definitely be a regular in my kitchen. I've already eaten 2...

 

Recipe copied from damyhealth, thank you Amy for creating this delicious recipe!
Ingredients:

• 2 Cups Almond Flour
• 2 Eggs
• 2 Egg Whites
• 1/4 Cup Agave (Honey, Maple Syrup or Stevia)
• 1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
• 1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
• Dash of Salt
• 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
• 2 Tbsp Coconut Oil (or Other Healthy Oil)
• 1 Cup Blueberries

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 F.
2. Place all ingredients excluding blueberries into your food processor and blend until smooth.
3. Once completely mixed fold in blueberries.
4. Spray muffin tin or mini muffin tin with a healthy, non-stick cooking spray.
5. Evenly scoop batter into muffin tin.
6. Bake for 25 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and place on cooling rack.
8. Enjoy!

 

Recipe is FODMAP friendly too if you use maple syrup or stevia as a sweetener!

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

So I tried out this recipe from SparkPeople for low fat zucchini brownies and it turned out more like a bread. Still delicious, and I can't wait to have some lathered in cashew butter for breakfast tomorrow morning! I also modified some of the ingredients to make it even healthier. Today at Whole Foods I discovered the most wonderful thing ever invented- ground chia and flax seed with coconut and cocoa. I tested it out in some vanilla yogurt and I couldn't believe how good it was- not too powdery or gritty, just sweet enough, very chocolatey. I felt like I was eating dessert and can't wait to try it mixed with frozen banana "ice cream".

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup applesauce
•  2 small or medium bananas mashed 
• 1 cup brown sugar 
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract 
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder 
• 1/4 cup Decadent Blend
• 1-1/2 tsp baking soda 
• 1/2 tsp salt 
• 2 cups finely shredded zucchini (I used 4 small zucchinis) 
• 2 cups all purpose gluten free flour 
• 1/2 cup walnut pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour an 9x13 inch baking pan. In a large bowl, mix together the applesauce, mashed bananas and sugar. Add vanilla, cocoa, and ground flax/chia seed and mix together. Then add baking soda, salt, and zucchini and mix together. Add flour and walnuts and mix together. Spread evenly into a prepared pan. Bake for 25 minutes until brownies spring back when gently touched.

Gluten Free Cupcake Thursday

Today's flavor was lemon, one of my favorites. Nom nom nom!

Orange Carrot Oat Muffins

This was my first attempt at baking with gluten free flour. I chose oat flour because it was safe- I'm familiar with the taste and bake with oats often. All purpose flour would have been a better choice but it has chickpea flour in it and chickpeas hate me. They turned out VERY DENSE (is it possible for something to be moist and dry at the same time?), but tasted great.

Recipe adapted from Yummly
Ingredients:

• 1/2cup olive oil
• 1/2cup vanilla coconut milk
• 2tbsp fresh orange juice
• 3tbsp sugar
• 1 large carrot shredded
• 1tsp ground cinnamon
• 1tsp ground ginger 
• 2tbsp maple syrup 
• 1cup rolled oats
• 1-1/4cup oat flour
• 1tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine oil, sugar, coconut milk, orange juice, and shredded carrot together. Add cinnamon, ginger and golden syrup. Fold in oat flour, baking powder and oats. Spoon batter into muffin pan. Bake for 20-25min. 

Gluten Free Cupcake Thursday

Today's flavor was chocolate with peanut butter frosting.

It was delicious.

My favorite day of the week...

...gluten free cupcake Thursday! Every Thursday the local cupcakery has gluten free cupcakes. I'm there every week. That's not too often right?