Calling my name, GF Banana Ginger Muffins

There are many times in life since going gluten free that I will pass by a bakery window and gaze in upon stacks of beautiful fresh baked muffins and wish that I could have one too. As I have mentioned, I don’t crave sweet that much but I do love an occasional muffin. Last year, when I was able to “take a break” from my no-gluten diet (doctor’s recommendation for testing) I stumbled upon my all time favorite muffins at Macrina Bakery in Seattle. Vegan Banana Ginger Muffins. I went home after that, totally obsessed and created a version of my own and posted the recipe. But those were made with whole wheat and spelt and soon I had to reliquish their hold over my tastebuds and go gluten free again (thanks for the painful vacation doc!).

I will wait for these to cool, I will wait for these to cool.

After that, I baked muffins occasionally, picked up muffins at Flying Apron when I was in Seattle, and generally went without. And then, the other day I remembered these muffins. I think it was because I was planning a big group run around Discovery Park in Seattle for my visit home this weekend. Last year a bunch of speedsters got together and ran some loops and then went to Macrina. Oh those muffins. I instantly knew that it was up to me to create a gluten free version that would be as crave worthy as the Macrina ones.

I did it. Yes, me and my little creative brain did it.

I took my own original recipe and then worked through some possible flour combinations/ratios. With muffins, especially gluten free ones, texture is huge. And picking the right flour combination makes a huge difference. I settled on brown rice flour and garbanzo bean flour in a 2:1 ratio. Flying by the seat of my pants as it were, I also kicked up the ginger content two fold as I recalled that my previous batch a year ago was not as gingery as I liked.

I baked. I waited. I let them cool so completely that by the time I went to eat them I was bonking from lack of food. I think there was a bit of trepidation in there too. I was afraid to try them. The looked like a winner, but would the taste be triumphant? Would the texture leave me once again annoyed that gluten free will never translate the same? Would they dissolve into a wet, fallen mess overnight (like a lot of GF baked goods do)? Would they be hockey pucks?

In a word: No. I was awe struck by these muffins. Look at that texture! If I didn’t tell you it was gluten free, you would not know. The taste, oh my! Smooth banana flavor with a perfect and very present ginger flavor. They played nicely together, letting each other have a share of the glory and spotlight. Neither dominated, they comingled, they made music together and my taste buds were singing! My favorite part was that the banana and ginger were present but the muffin was still predominately savory, not overly sweet- just enough. Again a very fine balance, I think.

I was so excited I couldn’t wait to share them with the Baker.

He made me wait though. I fed him way too much bibimbap and homemade coconut milk ice cream for dinner. I waited patiently for my second opinion. I finally got it post early morning run with our regular crew in the Headlands. I open the container (which I left on the counter), prepared myself for some caved in or other gluten free horror to unfold but they were still perfect, together, moist.  The Baker took one out and  took a bite, I prepared myself for a polite, “they’re good” and to go back to the drawing board.

“Wow” He said. “These are good. These are really really good. Where did you get the recipe?” Happy dance in my head, something along the lines of a end zone dance, complete with strutting and waving of arms!

“From my head” I answered. “Completely original recipe”. I liked being able to say that. I feel it is important to my perspective to keep perspective on the whether things are “good for a gluten free item” (because we all know there are plenty of really bad options out there) or “universally good”, meaning gluten free/egg free or not these are damn good. I am glad my second opinion heralded them as the second. I made my muffins in small muffin tins so we shared a second muffin, though I am sure we easily could have each had two and not be making a bad dietary choice (since in addition to all the other awesome things about this recipe, there is only 1/4 cup of butter and that is the only fat). These are not “you can eat those because you run 100 miles” muffins, these are part of a healthy and delicious lifestyle muffins. I don’t think it is a bad thing when you can have your decadent cake and have it be nutritious too. It is just an added benefit to these muffins that you don’t even have to think about it.

They are good. Damn good. I will be making them again and again and again. I have a feeling that down the line, someone will be looking at one of these babies through the window of my own bakery.

Gluten Free Banana Ginger Muffin

Ingredients:
5 small very ripe bananas (if not super ripe, add 1/4 cup almond milk)
¼ cup butter , room temperature
½ tsp vanilla extract
½ cup light brown sugar
½ cup dark brown sugar
1 ⅓ cup brown rice flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill)
⅔ cup garbanzo bean flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp ground ginger
2 ½ tsp. ginger zest, divided
4 tsp. crystallized ginger, minced, divided
1 ½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice
pinch fresh nutmeg

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 and line with parchment cups/grease 2 muffin pans (12 muffins). In a food processor, mix together the bananas and butter. Mix in the two types of brown sugar and blend together. Add in vanilla, 2 tsp of minced crystallized ginger, 1 1/2 tsp fresh ginger (zest).

In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients including the remaining ginger until incorporated. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir to combine.

Scoop about 1/4 cup of muffin mix into the muffin pans, making 9-12 muffins. Sprinkle the muffins with dark brown sugar and bake until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted and the tops are golden brown, about 20-25 minutes

Just like a fond memory. Gluten Free Pumpkin Whoopie Pie.

Food is often equated with or can provoke both strong positive and negative memories. During the fall, as the weather cools and the leaves change color and fall to the ground, I think back fondly to my time in Pittsburgh when I was in library school. I loved the fall there. I can remember getting in my little kitchen and cooking my first ever Thanksgiving dinner. I remember hunched over a fingerprint covered copy of that month’s Food and Wine magazine, meticulously following the recipe for three elaborate dishes that I would serve only to myself. I wasn’t much of a foodie then, or even that creative of a cook, but I had my moments of brilliance.

Ingredients for the GF Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

One of the things that I discovered while in Pittsburgh (food wise) that I had never heard of, other than Fluffernutters and Salads and Sandwiches topped with handfuls of fries, were whoopie pies. According to Wikipedia: whoopie pie (alternatively called a gob, black-and-white, or bob) is a baked good made of two round mound-shaped pieces of chocolate cake, sometimes pumpkin cake, with a sweet, creamy frosting sandwiched between them. While considered a New England phenomenon and a Pennsylvania Amish tradition, they are increasingly sold throughout the United States. According to food historians, Amish women would bake these and put them in farmers’ lunchboxes. When farmers would find these treats in their lunch, they would shout “Whoopie!”

Once I left Pittsburgh, I didn’t see these delicious treats again. Until, that is, I visited Vermont for the Vermont 50miler. As the description indicates, it is also a New England phenomenon and when my friend Glen was eating at the pre-race dinner the night before the race, he came back to the table with three desserts. One of which was a pumpkin whoopie pie. I was instantly lost in a memory of cool, crisp Pittsburgh fall evenings and the comfort of a pumpkin whoopie pie and a cup of tea, nestled down on my couch. I hadn’t thought about that time in my life for a while. And, I began seriously craving a pumpkin whoopie pie.

Folding the ingredients together

After I finally got home from my trip to Vermont & NYC, I decided to start testing a recipe for a gluten free/ egg free/soy free version of the pumpkin whoopie pie. While I would have loved to stuck with the Amish tradition of using eggs and normal flour, I simply cannot eat those things and so what would be the point of having my cake but not being able to eat it too?!?!

Cakes fresh out of the oven waiting to cool and be frosted!

I was quite pleasantly surprised at my first go-round with these. Their texture was absolutely spot on. Very light and fluffy, which is saying something considering gluten free flour usually does not lend itself to that. The frosting turned out creamy and dreamy once whipped the heck out of it the blender and then let it hang out in the fridge to tighten up. I took these pictures before I did that, thankfully I only frosted one “show” whoppie pie. Ok, let’s be honest, I couldn’t hardly wait so I made one I could gobble pretty immediately. It was brilliant! The frosting was not to heavy or sugary. The cakes were not heavy and not super sweet either. Admittedly, I had a second one once I let everything really cool and setup and it was out of sight. I love it when things get better with time.

Vanilla frosting and half a cake.

Today is a very crappy day. The bay is being slammed with bad weather, but these GF Pumpkin Whoopie Pies give me a sense of comfort and security no matter how hard the rain falls and the wind blows. I am comforted by the taste that floods my mouth with each nibble, but even more than that, I am comforted by the memories that are evoked in my mind and wrap my spirit in a sense of calm and coziness.

Gluten Free Pumpkin Whoopie Pie perfection!

Gluten Free Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Ingredients

1 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
2 serving eggs replacer, equivalent to 2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 ½ cups bobs red mill gluten free flour mix
¾ tsp guar gum
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 ½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 ½ cups pumpkin puree
¼ cup coconut flour
pinch salt
¾ cup almond milk
¾ cup butter
2 ½ cups confectioners sugar
3 ½ tsp vanilla extract

For the cakes:

Preheat the oven to 400 F and cover baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar. Prepare the egg replacer and add to the butter/sugar mixture. Beat well and add vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, guar gum, baking soda and powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Add flour mixture to butter/sugar alternating adding the pumpkin puree. Mix well until smooth.

Drop rounded spoonfuls onto baking sheets leaving plenty of room for the cakes to spread out as they cook. Bake for 11-12 minutes until the spring back when lightly pressed. Cool completely and then frost and top with another cake. Wrap each whoopie pie individually in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator.

For the filling:

In a saucepan over medium heat whisk the flour and salt with the almond milk until the mixture is smooth and starts to thicken. Cool in the refrigerator.

In a blender meanwhile, cream butter and confectioner’s sugar and vanilla. Add the cooled milk mixture and blend until the filling thickens. Taste and add more sugar if more desired sweetness. Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes until cool and thick before frosting.

Fig Jam Roll Ready for the oven

After getting back on the fig bandwagon on Christmas Eve, due to an amazing Fig Onion Compote that I served with some Mary’s Crackers and a selection of artisan cheeses, I decided that I wanted, no I needed more figgy goodness. I wanted something in a roll or pastry form that wasn’t sweet and not too bready. What came of those desires was the most amazing Fig Onion Jam Roll. While this particular roll is not gluten free, I am thinking that it would be an easy enough transition to gluten free. I will experiment for my gluten free friends. This recipe is kind of indicative of how inspired I am already this year. I just feel like there is so much that I am invigorated and inspired about. From food and cooking, to running and writing. From business to personal, I am hitting my stride and already I feel like the arbitrary turning of the year has become a symbolic representation of the changes that have been brewing. Yes, yes the jam roll was that inspiring. It took everything in my power to not scarf down the whole roll. If this is a sign of the things to come this year, than I can hardly wait.

Fig Jam Roll

Ingredients:
½ cup butter, unsalted
½ cup whole grain spelt flour
½ cup buckwheat flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
½ cup fig jam
¼ cup onion confit
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions:
Cut butter into the combine flours in a large bowl until butter (or margarine to make non-dairy) pieces are the size of peas. Make a space in the center of the dough and add in the soy milk, stirring with a fork to combine. Knead gently until formed into a ball, do not over knead.

Roll dough out on a flour covered surface or board to 1/2 inch thickness. Fold into thirds and roll out into a rectangle 1/4 inch thick. Leaving a 1/2 inch border at the top and bottom, spread fig jam over the lower 1/2 of the dough and the onion confit over the top half. Use enough jam to cover. Sprinkle cheese over top (omit for vegan). Roll into a log gently and not to tight. Cut into 10 pieces and place on a parchment paper covered baking sheet.

Makes 10.

Fig Jam Roll, fresh out of the oven