Banana Nut Muffins

All desserts are a yes in my book. My roommate however prefers baked breakfast goods, muffins in particular. Some how it took me nearly 4 years to figure this out, but now that this is an established fact, muffins make regular appearances in our breakfast rotation. One of her favorites is banana nut muffins. Once they are baked, they are devoured. She will start eating them as soon as they are out of the oven and snack on them until they are gone.

I like to make a full dozen regular sized and a full dozen mini, to satisfy your appetite for breakfast or just a small snack. I've made several loaves of banana bread and finally mixed together a few elements from my favorite recipes to develop these muffins.

Banana Nut Muffins

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes


Yields 18 regular muffins

Ingredients:

• 2 cups oat flour (gluten free)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened, or apple sauce
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 tbs triple sec or liquor of your choice
• 4-5 ripe bananas, broken in to 2 inch sized pieces
• 1/2 cup nuts of choice (optional), I love walnuts or pecans in this recipe

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F, and line a cupcake tin (either full-sized or mini) with liners. 
2. Combine the four, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a bowl and set aside. 
3. In a food processor (or you can use a mixer, it just takes a bit more time) process the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed. With the machine running, add the liquor and vanilla extract through the feed tube. 
4. Add the eggs and pulse to combine. Do not overly process the eggs or your muffins will be dense and tough. Add the bananas and process until combined and liquified. 
5. Scraped down the bowl and sprinkle the flour mixture over the banana mixture. Pulse until combined. Add in the nuts and pulse once or twice to combine. 
6. Fill prepared tins 2/3 to 3/4 full. If using a full sized tin bake for 27-30 minutes. If using a miniature tin, bake for 15-17 minutes. The muffins will be done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, but the muffins are still glossy, not dry in appearance.

Big Sky Bakery Inspired Bread

There's a bakery in Birmingham that bakes a delicious 7 seed bread. Unfortunately, it contains wheat flour and I can no longer eat it. The bread is a moist and sweet brown loaf studded with seeds throughout and rolled in sunflower seeds. I loved it, and I missed it...until I came across this recipe.

The flavor of this bread is so similar to Big Sky Bread and makes for a great breakfast or snack. It's incredibly hearty and filling and loaded with healthy seeds and nuts!


Big Sky Bakery Inspired Bread

Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 50 minutes

Yields 1 loaf

Ingredients:

• 1 cup raw sunflower seeds, you can use seasoned ones if you want a different flavor
• 1/2 cup flax seeds
• 1/2 cup raw almonds or other nuts
• 1 1/2 cup gluten free old fashioned rolled oats
• 2 tbs. chia seeds
• 3 tbs psyllium seed husk powder
• 1 tsp fine grain pink Himalayan sea salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries or other fruit (optional)
• 1 tbs maple syrup
• 1/4 cup apple sauce
• 1 1/2 cups water

Instructions:

1. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside. In a large bowl mix the sunflower seeds, flax seeds, almonds, oats, chia seeds, psyllium, salt, and cinnamon and cranberries if using. 
2. In a measuring cup, mix together the maple syrup, apple sauce and water. Pour the mixture over the dry ingredients and mix until a thick dough forms. 
3. Transfer the dough to the prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top of the loaf. Let the loaf rest for at least 2 hours and up to overnight on the counter. The dough is ready to be baked when you can tug at the side of the parchment paper and the dough retains its shape. 
4. Heat the oven to 350 F. Bake the loaf on the middle rack for 20 minutes. Remove the loaf from the pan and place it upside down on the oven rack. Bake for an additional 30 to 40 minutes. The bread is done when it sounds hollow when tapped. 
5. Let the bread cool completely before slicing. This bread should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a week or for three weeks frozen. Slice before freezing.

Adapted from My New Roots

Gluten Free Peasant Bread

When I was little, we used to bake bread...and devour it immediately after it came out of the oven. At my apartment, my bread eating habits have not changed, however my diet has. In the gluten-free world, I've found most breads to be dry, crumbly, crusty and not in a good way. With this recipe, the perfect crusty outside and chewy inside join together, resulting in baked perfection. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Prep Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes

Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients:

• 1 cup lukewarm water, it's important that it is not too hot!
• 1 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp rapid rise yeast
• 1 cup white rice flour
• 1/2 cup brown rice flour
• 1/3 cup tapioca flour
• 1/3 cup buckwheat flour
• 2 tsp xantham gum
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 2 egg whites
• 2 tbs butter, to coat the pan

Instructions:

1. Combine the water and sugar, pour the yeast over the water, no need to stir, and let proof for 10-15 minutes until frothy. 
2. While the yeast proofs, combine the flours, gum, salt, and egg whites. 
3. Once the yeast has proofed, pour it over the flour mixture and combine with a spatula. 
4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise in a warm place for 1.5 to 2 hours.*
5. Butter an oven safe bowl or loaf pan. Transfer the dough to the buttered bowl or pan and cover with plastic wrap. Place in a warm place, I set mine on the oven while it preheats, and allow it to rise for 30 more minutes while the oven preheats to 425F. 
6. After the second rise, bake the bread for 30 minutes. Remove the bread from the oven, invert it onto a wire rack, and allow it to cool or don't and dig in!

Notes
*I will turn my oven on to 350 F for 1 minute, then turn it off again. This creates a warm space for the bread to rise.

Adapted from Alexandra Cooks