GF Yogurt Banana Oat Muffins

These are also great with chopped walnuts, but my daughter's classroom is nut-free, so I omit them so she can bring the muffins in her lunch.  If you want the chopped walnuts, then do 1/4 cup nuts and 1/4 cup chocolate chips instead of the full cup of chocolate chips.  Or a 1/2 cup of walnuts and omit (gasp!) the chocolate chips.

Gluten-Free Yogurt Banana Oat Muffins
Yields 1 dozen muffins


Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 - 3 ripe bananas (approx 1 cup), mashed
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1.5 cups GF oat flour
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line muffin tin with paper liners.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream together oil and sugar.  Add eggs and mix.  Add bananas and mix  Add yogurt and vanilla and mix.  Add salt, cinnamon, baking soda and baking powder and mix.  Add half the oat flour and mix until fully incorporated, then mix in the rest of the flour.  Fold in chocolate chips.
• Divide the batter into the prepared muffin tins.
• Bake for 30 - 35 minutes until muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before transferring the muffins to a cooling rack.

These keep at room temperature for a few days and in the fridge for about a week. If you want to freeze the muffins, let them cool completely first before placing them into an airtight container.

GF Peanut Butter Banana Muffins

Great for breakfast on the go.  I often make these in mini-muffin size for my kids; perfect to give them 2 or 3 to eat in the car on the way to school on mornings where we're running late.  The hubby likes the full size muffins to take to work.

Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Banana Muffins

Makes 2 dozen muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-natural peanut butter
• 1.5 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 4 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup arrowroot starch
• 2.5 cups gluten-free oat flour
• 1.5 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)

Directions:

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line two 12-count muffin tins with paper liners.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter and sugar on medium speed.  Add the eggs and mix.  Add the bananas and mix.  Add the vanilla extract, salt, baking powder and baking soda and mix until well blended.  
• Add the arrowroot starch and oat flour and mix again until well blended.  Batter will be of similar consistency to pancake batter.
• Add the chocolate chips and mix to combine.
• Fill muffin tins about 3/4 of the way up.
• Bake for 25 minutes until golden brown.
• Remove from oven and let the muffins sit for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

GF Pumpkin Oat Muffins

These freeze really well in an airtight container.  So if the idea of 48 mini muffins overwhelms you, take a deep breath.  It's super easy to whip up, and you can freeze extras for another day.  I also did it this way to use up an entire can of pumpkin, instead of having to store 1/2 a can in the fridge.  I'd rather store fully-made muffins in the freezer. ;-)

I also like to add chopped walnuts (1 cup) to these, but my daughter's classroom is nut-free, so I often omit them so I can pack muffins in her lunchbox.

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Oat Muffins
Yields 48 mini muffins


Ingredients:

• olive oil in a mister spray bottle
• 3 cups GF whole oat flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin puree
• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup melted coconut oil
• 1.5 cups dried cranberries

Directions:

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray two mini muffin pans with olive oil.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients (oat flour through salt).  Then add in the wet ingredients (pumpkin puree through coconut oil) and mix on medium speed until fully incorporated.  Fold in cranberries (and any nuts, optional).
• Divide the batter into the prepared mini muffin tins.
• Bake for 13 - 15 minutes until muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before transferring the muffins to a cooling rack.

These keep at room temperature for about a week. If you want to freeze the muffins, let them cool completely first before placing them into an airtight container.

Whole Spelt Pumpkin Cranberry Nut Muffins

Baking season is just around the corner, and pumpkin season is here.  I'm kicking it off with muffins.  My young kids love these in the mini sizes.  They'll happily devour 3 or 4 mini muffins in one sitting, but won't touch a regular sized one.  It must be a size thing.

If you don't have whole spelt flour, you can substitute 1:1 with whole wheat flour.

Whole Spelt Pumpkin Cranberry Nut Muffins
Adapted from this recipe.
Yields 1 dozen muffins (4 dozen mini muffins).

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups whole spelt flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line muffin pan(s) with paper muffin cups.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk together first 7 (dry) ingredients.
• In another mixing bowl, whisk together next 5 (wet) ingredients.
• Pour wet mix into dry mix and combine.  Do not over mix.
• Fold in the dried cranberries and walnuts.
• Divide batter evenly into the prepared pans. 
• Bake until golden, 18 - 20 minutes for regular muffins, 14 - 15 minutes for mini muffins.

These freeze really well if you don't get around to eating them all within a few days.  Or if you want to make a double batch.  My kindergartener loves the mini ones for her mid-morning snack at school. I take a couple straight out of the freezer in the morning (7:30am-ish), toss them into her lunchbag, and by the time she eats her snack (10:30am-ish) the muffins are completely thawed and good to eat.

Pumpkin Flax Oatmeal Muffins

I was playing in the kitchen today and used my Blueberry Oatmeal Muffin recipe as the springboard for some pumpkin muffins.  I used canned pumpkin puree, but you can certainly use freshly-made puree.  If you buy the canned stuff, make sure that it is just plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.  The hubs will be thrilled to have these for breakfast this week instead of our usual overnight oatmeal.

Pumpkin Flax Oatmeal Muffins
Makes 2 dozen muffins

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1.5 cups rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups brown sugar, packed
• 1.5 cups ground flaxseed
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin puree
• 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Line two 12-count muffin pans with cupcake liners.
• In a bowl, stir together the first 9 ingredients (dry).  Set aside.
• In a separate mixing bowl, beat eggs, sugar, ground flaxseed, vanilla, water and pumpkin puree.
• Gradually combine the dry ingredients with the egg mixture just until everything is moistened.  Do not over-stir. 
• Gently fold in the walnuts.
• Divide batter into the prepared muffin pans.
• Bake for 20 minutes until golden.

Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins

When I was pregnant with the now-toddler, I developed quite a sweet tooth.  I was eating ice cream to the point where the Baskin Robbins lady knew what my "usual" was and had it ready for me between the time she saw me pull up in the parking lot and when I entered the store.  I was also eating my weight in Cinnabons and cupcakes.  I'm amazed I'd only put on 18 lbs. that entire pregnancy, it could easily have been 58 lbs.

An online friend of mine (hi Mindy!) posted a link to her favorite Blueberry Cream Muffins recipe, and after reading it I was drooling.  BUT!  I had to make it a little more healthful in quality to compensate for the sheer quantity I would be consuming.  :-D  So I replaced the AP flour with a combination of whole wheat flour and rolled oats, the oil with ground flaxseed, and the sour cream with fat-free plain yogurt.  If you are strictly following the SBD way of eating, use Splenda in place of the brown sugar.

These are dense muffins, but they are delicious!

Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins
Adapted from this recipe.
Yields 24 muffins.

Ingredients:

• cooking spray
• 2 cups whole-wheat flour
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups brown sugar, packed
• 2 cups ground flaxseed
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 cups fat-free plain yogurt
• 2 cups blueberries

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Spray two 12-count muffin pans with cooking spray.
• In a bowl, stir together flour, oats, salt and baking soda.  Set aside.
• In a separate mixing bowl, beat eggs, sugar, ground flaxseed, vanilla and water.
• Gradually combine the dry ingredients with the egg mixture, alternating with the yogurt, just until everything is moistened.  Do not over-stir.  Mixture will be quite thick.
• Gently fold in the blueberries.  Again, do not over-stir.
• Divide batter into the prepared muffin pans.
• Bake for 20 minutes until golden.

ETA on 2/14/11:  I had a bag of frozen pineapple, so I decided to try pineapple cranberry muffins.  Instead of the 2 cups of blueberries, I used 1 bag of frozen pineapple (approx. 1.5 cups) and 1/2 cup dried cranberries.  YUM!

ETA on 2/19/11:  Instead of the 2 cups of blueberries, I added 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts.  YUM!

ETA on 10/1/11:  Instead of the 2 cups of blueberries, I added 2 large ripe mashed bananas and 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts.  I also omitted the 3/4 cup of water since the bananas added enough moisture.  YUM!

ETA on 11/29/11:  Instead of the 2 cups of blueberries, I added 2 cups of chunky home-made applesauce and 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon.  I also omitted the 3/4 cup of water since the applesauce added enough moisture.  YUM!