Muffins

Muffins!
The hardest part about cooking for conditions like IBS and IBD is that most people would agree that getting rid of grains, at least for awhile, is the first step in healing. The gluten-free diet is not enough. Grains include rice, oats, corn, wheat, couscous, quinoa, buckwheat...you get the picture. With this realization, panic steps in. I know, I have been there. 

Yes, in America, we are addicted to our sandwich lunches, but once we realize that what we eat for dinner, also makes for a great lunch, we are good. Getting rid of bread, for the most part, is good for our gut, along with the processed meats that also end up in sandwiches.

But for breakfast it is nice to have a muffin, or a waffle with your eggs, and coconut flour allows us to do this. This particular cookbook has some tasty recipes for muffins. I have tweaked them a bit. In all the recipes I use honey instead of sugar or sucanat. If the recipe calls for 3 tablespoons of sugar I just use 3 tablespoons of honey. Coconut flour is forgiving in the liquid department since it soaks it up like a sponge. I also like to make these recipes in a food processor, giving the finished product a more cake-like consistency. Also, for those people suffering from IBS or IBD, baking powder is not allowed, so I have just substituted baking soda.

I will say this many times, but a freezer can be your best friend when trying to cook healthy. Make a morning of it and put aside a months worth of muffins. These are great frozen, just take out what you need and microwave for 40-45 seconds.

Honey-Nut Muffins
6 eggs
4 tablespoons butter melted
1/3 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts

In a food processor combine the eggs, butter, coconut milk, salt and vanilla. Pulse till combined. Then add the coconut flour and baking soda. Mix until no lumps are present and then pulse in the nuts. Pour batter into greased muffin cups and bake at 380 degrees for about 15 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.

Note: Fill the muffin cups all the way to top. Baked goods made with almond flour or coconut flour do not rise much. Also, if your oven cooks unevenly turn the muffin tin around halfway through baking. Check carefully the last several minutes or so. Any baked goods made with honey will burn if left just a little too long in the oven. If the muffin springs back when touched, they are done.

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins:
Make the Honey-Nut muffins, but omit the nuts and vanilla and add 2 teaspoons of lemon extract. Sprinkle poppy seeds on top of muffins just before baking. 

Blueberry Muffins
In this recipe I use wild frozen blueberries. They can color the batter a little blue if you are not careful. I rinse them just a little and drain well. They key is to not let them thaw out too much to where they get mushy before adding them to the batter. Fresh blueberries can be used, but I find they are often too large.
6 eggs
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup of frozen wild blueberries, rinsed

Blend the eggs, butter, honey, salt and vanilla. Combine the coconut flour and baking soda and thoroughly mix into batter until there are no lumps. Fold in blueberries. Pour batter into greased muffin cups. Bake at 380 degrees for 16-18 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.

Banana Nut Muffins
6 eggs
4 tablespoons butter or coconut oil, melted
2 mashed bananas
1/2 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped

In a food processor blend together eggs, butter, banana, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Combine coconut flour with baking soda and add to the batter until there are no lumps. Pulse in the nuts. Pour into greased muffin cups. Bake at 380 degrees for 18 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.

Pumpkin Muffins
6 eggs
4 tablespoons butter or coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup mashed pumpkin
1/2 cup honey
*1/3 cup coconut or date sugar (or another 1/3 cup honey)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground mace
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

*not a SCD legal item

In a food processor blend together eggs, butter, pumpkin, honey, coconut or date sugar, cinnamon, mace, salt, and vanilla. Combine the coconut flour with baking soda and add to batter. Mix until there are no lumps. Pour batter into greased muffin cups. Bake at 380 degrees for 18 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.

Note: I sometimes add 1/2 cups of nuts to this recipe along with 1/2 cups of currants. Your choice!