I use to have one thing that I craved day in and day out. I am not big on sweets. I am no cookie or cake monster.  I know I said last week that I do like the occasional muffin, but that’s not true. I love muffins. If there was one thing I use to be able to eat everyday, it was muffins. Banana ginger, carrot-walnut, blueberry, bran, coconut. Big ones, small one. Sweet, but mostly savory ones.

Muffins are not really known for their incredible healthfulness. Before I went Gluten Free, it was easy to find a muffin on my way to work and I definitely had a good habit going. I usually ate a breakfast of a healthy homemade fruit smoothie and a low-fat/whole grain healthy (as can be) muffin from my local shop or whole foods. Most store bought muffins still leave something to be desired in the nutrition department and now, both gluten-free and egg-free, muffins are basically non-existent.

My muffin habit went to the wayside when I went gluten-free and vegan. I trained myself away from them. I developed mixed feelings over grains in general and didn’t spend much time baking. But last week, I opened the flood gates with my Gluten Free Banana Ginger Muffins. Now, all I can think about is the next muffin recipe I want to make. What is ironic, its more of a desire to bake them, than to eat them. Yes, even though I love muffins, I love creating them gluten free and egg free even more. It really gets my creative juices going. And yields delicious results. My head is spinning over the next combination I want to create. I love to eat muffins yes, but the last thing I need is dozens of muffins sitting around at arms reach. Thank goodness, I have an early morning running group that happily gobbles up my creations and provides feedback. I can have my muffin and eat it to, as the cliche goes.

The success of the banana in last weeks version made me very enthusiastic. I figured if mashed up bananas worked then soft baked apples made into apple sauce would not only work in the same manner but would be outstanding in the flavor department. The result was a moist muffin that held together and still was light and not dense. I think in gluten free baking we are all just trying to avoid things turning out like small bricks. These muffins succeeded. I really liked the homemade quick granola on the top, it was brown-sugary and a great counter-point of texture. I might experiment with incorporating the granola additionally into the muffin itself, but think that the scant tbsp-ish of granola per muffin helps maintain some of the healthfulness but keeps the flavor.

I am dreaming up the next batch and the next batch and the next batch. Try these for now, until next week that is. Stay tuned, there will be coconut and pineapple involved next time.

Gluten Free Apple Cinnamon Granola Muffins

Ingredients:

1 pound apples, cored and chopped
½ cup agave nectar
2 tbsp. cinnamon, divided
½ cup almond milk
1 tbsp. lemon
½ cup gluten free oats
¼ cup dark brown sugar
¼ cup butter , room temperature
2 tbsp. vanilla extract
½ cup light brown sugar
½ cup dark brown sugar
1 ⅓ cups brown rice flour
⅔ cup garbanzo bean flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp fresh nutmeg
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp pumpkin pie spice

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325. Toss apples, agave nectar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon together and spread on a baking sheet with parchment paper in a single layer. Bake for 35 minutes or until apples are tender. Remove apples from baking sheet with a slotted spoon. Carefully toss oats and 1/4 cup dark brown sugar in the apple liquid to coat. Bake oats for 10 minutes or until it begins to toast, be careful not to burn. Remove from oven and remove from baking sheet. Let apples and granola cool. (Home-prepared or store-bought granola can be substituted if you have it on hand).

Preheat oven to 350 and line with parchment cups/grease 2 muffin pans (12 muffins).

In a food processor, mix together the apples, almond milk, lemon, butter. Mix in the two types of brown sugar and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients including remaining cinnamon. 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 the granola and bake until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted, about 20-25 minutes.

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

Herb Salad with toasted walnuts and goat cheese

On Halloween night when everyone else was heading out, I was tucking in for a very nice home alone. By choice, I had a date. A hot date with myself. It was a perfect Saturday night. Sunday night supper was already planned and out of my hands, so I decided to cook for myself and do a “cook the book” from Jamie Oliver’s Jamie at Home. I love Jamie Oliver and his cooking style. He does uncomplicated but powerfully flavorful dishes. He uses the best ingredients, often grown in his own backyard (the “at home” part). Listening to my strong, nagging, unrelenting desire for warming foods, I picked grilled mushroom risotto. I decided to have accompany it with a Herb Salad with toasted walnuts and goat cheese, Peri-Peri Whole Roast Chicken (a page from my own cookbook), and some caramelized brussels sprouts.

Peri Peri Roast Chicken and Caramelized Brussels Sprouts

It was a really enjoyable menu. One I would gladly put in front of a guest or large group of guests. That said, it was nice to treat myself as well as I would treat others. I am currently big into reading food memoirs and a few of them specifically talk about the things we will cook for ourselves that we wouldn’t dare share with anyone else, the secret guilty pleasures eaten over the sink. While it is true that I nosh on my oddities when it is just me, I actually think I am the most adventurous when cooking for myself. When I know my audience is just me, I have no fear of failure. I am willing to dive in and go big, go out of my comfort zone and risk the whole thing going in the bin. And though that has never happened, I don’t cook for others usually with the same reckless abandon. It’s a curious thing to have such performance anxiety with something I do so often, am trained for and loved. Maybe its because of all those things that I want to impress people with what I can do and leave the experimenting for on myself. I am sure in time that will change. As I turn my little ship towards my culinary dreams and goals, I know I will need to relinquish that fear and self-doubt. Plus, it is unfounded, nights like Halloween remind me that I have got some great skills and I can cook things that have my exclaiming (out loud into an empty house), “good lord that is tasty!”. It was indeed a tasty reminder to have a little faith in myself. I am gaining a good deal of momentum in my own cooking and look forward to building on that through more original recipes, cook the book postings, sunday night suppers and restaurant reviews. And from there even more content and casting my net even further! Such a delicious journey I am on!

Grilled Mushroom Risotto

grilled mushroom risotto from Jamie Oliver’s Jamie at Home.

main courses | serves 4-6
A mushroom risotto can be taken in many different ways, depending on what kind of mushrooms you have and whether they are introduced at the very beginning of cooking or just added at the end, as I’m going to do here. The inspiration for this recipe came when I was in Japan and saw mushrooms being cooked completely dry on a barbecue or griddle pan. This way of cooking brings out a really fresh and nutty flavour in them; perfect for being dressed lightly with olive oil, salt and lemon juice or stirred into a risotto at the last minute before serving.

Heat your stock in a saucepan and keep it on a low simmer. Place the porcini mushrooms in a bowl and pour in just enough hot stock to cover. Leave for a couple of minutes until they’ve softened. Fish them out of the stock and chop them, reserving the soaking liquid.

In a large pan, heat a glug of olive oil and add the onion and celery. Slowly fry without colouring them for at least 10 minutes, then turn the heat up and add the rice. Give it a stir. Stir in the vermouth or wine – it’ll smell fantastic! Keep stirring until the liquid has cooked into the rice. Now pour the porcini soaking liquid through a sieve into the pan and add the chopped porcini, a good pinch of salt and your first ladle of hot stock. Turn the heat down to a simmer and keep adding ladlefuls of stock, stirring and massaging the starch out of the rice, allowing each ladleful to be absorbed before adding the next.

Carry on adding stock until the rice is soft but with a slight bite. This will take about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, get a dry griddle pan hot and grill the wild mushrooms until soft. If your pan isn’t big enough, do this in batches. Put them into a bowl and add the chopped herbs, a pinch of salt and the lemon juice. Using your hands, get stuck in and toss everything together – this is going to be incredible!

Take the risotto off the heat and check the seasoning carefully. Stir in the butter and the Parmesan. You want it to be creamy and oozy in texture, so add a bit more stock if you think it needs it. Put a lid on and leave the risotto to relax for about 3 minutes.

Take your risotto and add a little more seasoning or Parmesan if you like. Serve a good dollop of risotto topped with some grilled dressed mushrooms, a sprinkling of freshly grated Parmesan and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.