Sunday, January 24, 2010

Apple Muffins

So we're having company this weekend and I thought it would be nice to be able to offer them some baked goods. Also, since I've been breastfeeding I feel incredibly hungry and there isn't much time to eat anything with much nutritional value so I thought I would like to have some muffins around to munch on. Being Celiac though you can't just run out to the store/ Tim Horton's or McDonald's or somewhere and buy a 6 pack of muffins so I went looking for a way to make them myself.

To the left is my finished product. I was pretty pleased! It tastes great and looks like a muffin! :)

The recipe I used was from Aunt Jemima of all places. Found on this website

I'll include the recipe below as well with the gluten free modifications. :) Enjoy!

Apple Muffins
Ingredients:
1 Cup Glutino Gluten Free Pancake Mix
1 Cup Tapioca Flour
1/3 Cup Brown Sugar, packed
2 tsp. Magic Baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 large apple peeled, chopped
1 cup 2% milk
1/3 cup Olive Oil
1 egg slightly beaten
1 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 400° F.
2) Line with paper baking cups.
3) Combine pancake mix, flour, brown sugar, baking powder and cinnamon in medium bowl. Mix in apples until well combined.
4) In small bowl, combine milk, oil, egg and vanilla; add to flour mixture. Mix just until dry ingredients are moistened.
5) Fill muffin cups 3/4 full.
6) Bake 18-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 2 minutes in pan. Remove to cooling rack.

Saturday, January 23, 2010

My first attempt at Bread

So I'm definitely no expert when it comes to cooking but I'm not particularly crazy about the cost of a loaf of gluten free bread. So I guess you could say my New Years resolution was to figure out a way to make decent tasting and textured gluten free bread that was also reasonably priced!

I had gone on a website that offered a seemingly simple recipe for a gluten free bread but after a trip to the Bulk Barn and a few other stores and realizing that city wide there was an apparent shortage of Xantham gum, I decided that I'd look around the kitchen and figure out what I did have and see what I could make with it!

So my first attempt at bread does need work and I'm not sure I'd call it traditional bread but it does taste good so I'll give it that. lol. I'm open to suggestions. I followed a recipe for beer bread and substituted Lakefront New Grist beer for gluten beer. The recipe was found athttp://foodiefarmgirl.blogspot.com/2005/11/beyond-easy-beer-bread.html . I didn't add the cheddar because I was afraid if I messed up the recipe I'd also waste cheese on top of the expensive beer. lol.

Anyway here's my version of their recipe:

Gluten Free Beer Bread:
2 1/4 cups White Rice Flour
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp baking powder (I used Magic because in Canada it's Gluten Free)
2 teaspoons dried dill weed
12 oz Lakefront New Grist Gluten free Beer

Glaze: 1 egg & 2 teaspoons water, beaten

1) Heat oven to 375°.
2) Combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, dill in a large mixing bowl.
3) Slowly stir in beer and mix just until combined. Batter will be thick.
4) Spread in a greased 8-inch loaf pan, brush with egg glaze if desired, and bake until golden brown and a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.
5) Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool 10 more minutes.
6) Serve warm or at room temperature.