Wheat Free Vegan Caramelized Banana Muffins

The idea for this recipe came from when I served a brunch that included waffles with caramelized bananas. The original recipe calls for all sorts of things I can't eat, but it smelled so delicious, I decided to try to make it wheat and dairy free. In the spirit of innovation I decided to use the bananas instead of regular smushed brown ones in a muffin recipe recently and the result are these little goodies. 

I like them as is, but you could add a frosting to make these cupcakes quite easily. Chocolate chips or nuts would also be yummy, as would dried banana chips. 

Don't be nervous about making the caramel. This recipe is very cavalier and if you mess is it up terribly, all that's been waisted is a bit of sugar. Proper caramel making is quite a science, but these are so casual it hardly matters, just be careful not to burn yourself. 

Makes about 15 muffins (an awkward amount, I know)

MUFFIN INGREDIENTS:

5 bananas, sliced

1 sugar

4 tbs vegan margarine

1 tsp vanilla + 1 tsp vanilla

1/2 canola oil

1 tbs prune puree

1/4 cup brown sugar (optional)

replacement for 1 egg or 1 egg

2 cups wheat free flour (or mixture of 1 1/2 cups flour and 1/2 cup gluten free oats)

1 1/2 tsp xantham gum

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup soy milk with generous squish of lemon juice

MUFFIN INSTRUCTIONS:

Place white sugar in a sauce pan set over medium high heat. When edges of sugar begin to brown, swoosh the pan about until all the sugar is brown and dissolved. You may need the assistance of a wooden spoon. When the sugar is amber colored, about six minutes, add vegan margarine and stir until combined over low heat. Add 1 tsp of vanilla and the sliced bananas. Remove from heat and allow to sit at room temperature. 

In another bowl, mix the canola oil, remaining vanilla, brown sugar (if using) and prune puree. Add 2/3 cooled banana mixture. Smooth the very soft bananas against the side of the bowl until it resembles a chunky puree. Place a sifter over the wet ingredients and sift in the flour, xantham gum, baking soda, powder and a pinch of salt if you like. Stir this together until barely combined. Add the egg, vanilla, and soy milk and stir gently. Add the remaining caramelized bananas and swirl in, leaving the bananas slices whole this time. In a lined muffin tray, fill the tins 3/4 full. Bake at 350 degrees for about 18 minutes. It is a bit tricky to tell if these are done, because they are so moist, but I doubt anyone will complain if they are a bit underdone, so I'd pull them out early rather than allow them to firm up with too much time in the oven. If you are suspicious that the speck of banana on your toothpick might actually represent a glob of uncooked batter, pat your finger on the top and if it springs back, you should be good to go. 

Wheat Free Vegan Blueberry Muffins

These are the muffins I keep in the freezer when I have to eat breakfast on the go. I just defrost them and nibble at the streusel top while locking the door and then impatiently wait to devour the rest when I next have a quiet moment. They are quite moist and intensely blue-berry flavored so they don't need any jam or butter. When muffins for breakfast became a bit of a trend, nutritionists reacted by pointing out their horrifically high calorie numbers and that most of them were essentially cupcakes without (usually) icing. Fortunately, bagels became the next big coffee shop breakfast item and we could all stop reading articles in the morning paper about exactly how many servings of sodium we were digesting while we tried to enjoy a breakfast muffin. I don't know how much sodium are in these, but I am willing to argue not much. 

I am sure that any homemade muffin is bound to be much better for you than something you purchase at a cafe in the subway, which is where I previously got my muffin fix. So, maybe not an everyday affair, but certainly okay for any morning where what you really feel like is a cupcake, but know you shouldn't, if only to feel a bit better when you read the paper. 

Makes 12 muffins. 

MUFFIN INGREDIENTS:

2 cups wheat free flour

1 cup brown sugar + 1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tsp xanthan gum

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/3 cup vegan margarine

2/3 cup apple sauce

1/4 melted coconut oil

1/4 soy milk  mixed with 1 tbs lemon juice (or whichever type of milk you like)

2 eggs replace 

dash of vanilla

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

1 cup wheat free oatmeal

5-6 tbs canola oil

2 tsp cinnamon

1/3 cup dried blueberries

MUFFIN DIRECTIONS:

In a small bowl, combine the dried blueberries, oats, 1/2 cup brown sugar, cinnamon, and canola oil. Using your hands, work the mixture together to form a crumb. You may need a little less or a little more oil. Set this aside

Place the blueberries in a sieve and gently coat in a few tablespoons of flour. This will prevent them from sinking to the bottom.  In a large bowl stir together the milk, apple sauce, margarine, coconut oil, 1 cup sugar, egg replacement, and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and xantham gum. When thoroughly whisked, sift the dry mixture into the wet and stir with a spoon until just combined. Carefully add the blueberries. Don't stir too much or your batter might turn blue!

Line your muffin tin and grease the top of the pan for any batter that might stick on the top. Place a heaping tablespoon of batter in each liner and then place a teaspoon of crumb on each pat of batter. Add additional batter until muffin liners are three quarters full and then place a little crumb on top, patting it down to make sure it stays while the muffins bake. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes. 

Wheat and Dairy Free Vegan Gingerbread Muffins

This recipe may seem a tad unseasonable, but for those of us opening up summer cottages in the next month or so, this recipe is surprisingly apt. Our cottage is not winterized and we usually finish the summer season at Canadian Thanksgiving the year before. The food that we leave up there is generally appropriate for this ad-hoc holiday which is celebrated quite early up here. Mostly what we have includes pureed pumpkin, maple syrup, and other pumpkin pie ingredients that got left behind. These little muffins are perfect to make on the first morning up North. It is still cold enough that you want something filling, but simple and fast enough to make at the cottage. The recipe is also very forgiving, which is important because I often find that the baking soda and powder is well past its date and the spices in our spice drawer are purchased  from companies I cannot even find anymore. 

Makes 20 Muffins.

MUFFIN INGREDIENTS:

1 3/4 cups flour alternative (I've used everything from ground up oats to garbanzo bean, but I have to say Bob's Red Mill All Purpose is the best)

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp xantham gum (optional)

pinch salt

2/3 cup brown sugar

2 tbs ground ginger

2 tsps cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1/2 cup canola oil

1/2 cup molasses

2/3 cup soy milk

1 1/4 cup pumpkin puree (plain and unsweetened, about one can)

3/4 cup room temperature water

MUFFIN DIRECTIONS:

In a bowl, whisk the flour, spices, baking powder, soda, brown sugar, salt, and xantham gum (if using). In a large cup with a spout, stir together the milk, oil, and molasses. In another bowl, combine the pumpkin and water. Add the dry ingredients alternating with the pumpkin and water until combined. Spoon the batter into greased muffin tins and sprinkle with additional cinnamon if desired. Bake at 350 degrees for twenty minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. These little darlings are moist and not too sweet. If you are ambitious, a maple icing tastes amazing, but I enjoy them quietly with another left-for-the-winter staple: jam.