Tag: gluten

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Muffins {Foodie Friday}

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Muffins {Foodie Friday}
Written by Kelly Peterson of Kelly’s Pink Bicycle.  

 

 I’m not a gluten-free expert. In fact, if there was a level below novice, I’d be in that category. But we have recently found that my husband appears to be somewhat gluten-intolerant, and since I love him very much I am learning to cook with his needs in mind.

However, gluten-free baking is INTIMIDATING. I didn’t realize how many different types of flours existed until I began scanning through gluten-free recipes for bread, donuts, pastries, and cakes. I’ve been sticking to lots of rice and vegetable dishes because they’re healthy and easy to make, but this past weekend I decided to venture outside my comfort zone and bake.

I decided to start small with my version of gluten-free chocolate chip muffins, adapted from a recipe from Arrowhead Mills. You could easily make them bigger (they’re pretty small) by filling the muffin tins all the way to the top, and lengthening the oven time to 25 minutes or so. You could also do all kinds of fillings – I used chocolate chips and dried cranberries, but I bet they’d be amazing with blueberries, chopped apples, shredded coconut, or even crunchy peanut butter!

My husband gave them a thumbs up, and he’s a pretty picky eater. I hope you like them!

 

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Muffins (makes 15)

Ingredients

  • 2 cups gluten-free baking mix (I used Arrowhead Mills Gluten-Free Pancake & Baking Mix)
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp xantham gum
  • 3 Tbsp milled flax seed
  • 1 egg
  • ¼ cup honey
  • ¾ cup water
  • ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • ¼ cup gluten-free chocolate chips
  • ¼ cup chopped dried cranberries

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the first 4 ingredients.
  3. In a small bowl, mix together all wet ingredients (egg, honey, water, applesauce, and vanilla)
  4. Pour liquid mixture into bowl with dry ingredients and mix only until lumps are gone.
  5. Mix in the chocolate chips and cranberries (don’t over mix!).
  6. Fill oiled muffin tins ¾ full with muffin mixture. The mixture will be thick.
  7. Bake for 17-20 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.

 

Nutritional Information (per muffin)

Calories: 123; Carbs: 26g; Fat: 2g; Sugars: 8g; Sodium: 181mg; Protein: 3g; Fiber: 1g; Calcium: 11%

Kelly is in love with her husband, her cookbooks, and her bread machine. When she’s not reading The Hunger Games or trying to sprout her own lentils, she can typically be found spending way too much time on Facebook and Twitter. You can read more at Kelly’s Pink Bicycle.

Gluten Freedom {New Year, New You}

My name is Dana, and I am the author and creator of Gluten Freedom.  I am a student at the University of Arkansas, a substitute teacher, a wife, a blogger, and will soon be a certified early childhood educator.  I live in Fayetteville, and you can find me calling the hogs at football, basketball, and baseball games!  PIG SOOIE!
As I think back to this time last year, when 2011 was fresh and new, I realize how much my life has changed.  I have lost thirty pounds.  I have started a new blog.  And I have been diagnosed with celiac disease.  So bring it on, 2012!  I am ready for anything!

 

For those of you not familiar with celiac disease, I will give you the basics:
Celiac disease –  an autoimmune digestive disease that damages the villi of the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food. What does this mean? Essentially the body is attacking itself every time a person with celiac consumes gluten (National Foundation for Celiac Awareness)

 

Cooking, eating out, traveling, and holiday get-togethers are just a few of the things that I used to love doing and have had to completely overhaul.  I was diagnosed two days before Thanksgiving, and with no time to learn or prepare, I found myself eating only turkey, turkey, and more turkey.  I even had to check the label on the bird!

 

Here are some of the symptoms of celiac disease, but please be aware that the symptoms are a mile long, and this is just a list of some of the common complaints:
  • abdominal pain and bloating
  • diarrhea
  • anemia
  • gastric ulcers
  • Crohns disease
  • skin rash
  • muscle cramps
  • osteoperosis
  • depression
  • malabsorption
  • bruising

I also have some great resources for you to check out if you have, or think you might have, celiac disease!

National Foundation for Celiac Awareness

Center for Celiac Research at The University of Maryland

I have found, through blogging, that there are people everywhere facing this, and although it can be frustrating, resources, friends, and supporters are around every corner!  If you or someone you know is going through life changes due to celiac disease, or a gluten or wheat allergy, come by and visit me in my gluten free world!  In the meantime, here is a recipe that I have embraced in my gluten free lifestyle!

GLUTEN FREE HAM AND CHEESE QUICHES

3 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup milk
4 ounces shredded cheese
1 tbsp minced dry onion
1/4 tsp thyme
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3/4 cups diced ham

*AS ALWAYS, CHECK INDIVIDUAL PRODUCT LABELS TO ENSURE EACH INGREDIENT IS GLUTEN FREE*

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray muffin tin with non-stick canola oil spray.
2)  Combine all ingredients besides ham.
3)  Spoon 1-2 tablespoons into each muffin cup.
4) Sprinkle ham evenly on top of each muffin cup of mixture.
5)  Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until knife inserted comes out clean.
6)  Broil for 2-4 minutes to brown tops of quiches.
7)  Serve and enjoy!

 

New Year, New You is the Arkansas Women Bloggers topic of the month for January 2012.  If you have a story to share with our readers please check out our Guest Post Guidelines and contact julie@arkansaswomenbloggers.com.