Mom's Applesauce Muffins

I LOVE my mom's applesauce muffins. And after hearing from Celiac teen, how she has been making recipes to fit her celiac diet from those from pre-celiac days, I have been doing some of my own experimenting. :) So, here's what I came up with. Also, it is has less sugar and no oil versus the original recipe! Enjoy!

Also, as noted in my previous post, I am doing a 2 week glutenious trail and that made me think that some of your who aren't GF, may want to make this too! :) So for those of you who don't have to eat wheat/gluten-free, feel free to sub 1-1/2 c. whole wheat flour=my mom's recipe or white flour) Also, if you are GF, you may sub 1-1/2 c. of your favorite flour mix for my mix. Sorry if that was confusing! :)
Mom's Applesauce Muffins


1/2 c. corn flour
1/2 c. millet flour
1/2 c. sorghum flour
3/4 t. cinnamon
2 1/4 t. baking powder
Combine dry ingredients set aside. (xanthum not necessary, if you think you need it just add a pinch)

1/2 c. apple juice ( OR 2 T. apple juice concentrate and water) or milk
1 c. apple sauce
1/4 c. agave
1 egg
Combine wet ingredients. Add in dry ingredients until just barely mixed. Fold in apples and raisins. Drop into greased or papered muffin tips until almost full


1 c. apples chopped
1/4-1/2 c. raisins (I used 1/4 c.)
1/2 c. cashew/almond meal (I used cashew) optional, adds protein!

Cook at 400 for 20-25 mins. Makes 12.

In the future, I would use 1/4 teff, 1/4 corn, 1/4 sorghum and 1/4 millet (my favorite GF whole grain mix!) I was out of teff though! Also, may leave out the nuts or something next time...who knows! Also, more raisins and I could leave out the apples (but I'm not sure though if I would want to)

Inspired by mom's recipe and delicouswisdom.
I am entering this into Slightly Indulgent Mondays here.

Chewy Breakfast Muffin Cookies

I haven't done much cooking or experimenting lately as I am visiting some family and do not have a lot on hand. However, today, I had some leftover oatmeal to use up and didn't want to eat oatmeal...again. :) So, I wondered, could I make oatmeal cookies with leftover oatmeal for breakfast (I mean, healthy ones here) so that they would be healthy enough to be deemed breakfast, yet tasty enough that others and myself wouldn't turn up our noses to them? After doing a little search online, I discovered that my original idea wasn't so original. But, I found a recipe that sounded like just what I needed so I used this as a starter and then formulated my own recipe. After they came out, I found them to be quite delicious. Sweet, but not too sweet and deliciously soft and chewy. And after letting my little cousins and my aunt (who do not eat like I do) taste test, they all gave me a thumbs up. :) So here it is, a chewy, soft cookie that tastes almost like a muffin too (I guess I should call it a muffie) and one you wont feel guilty about eating or serving for breakfast. Great for breakfasts on the run, too!

Here it is:

Chewy Breakfast Muffin Cookies
(Banana Oat Version)


Makes about 3-4 dozen

Preheat oven to 375.

Ingredients:

• 3 c. oats (I used about 1 c. cooked oatmeal and 2 c. dry, feel free to use whatever proportions you like)

• 1 c. flour (I used 1/4 c. teff flour, 1/4 c. sorghum flour, 1/4 c. corn, and 1/4 c. millet flour)

• 1 c. apple juice

• 1/4 t. salt (if you oatmeal had salt in it already, omit)

• 2 mashed bananas
  

• 2 T. honey (or agave nectar)
  

• 1 t. baking powder (opt.-the original recipe didn't call for it but it will make them rise more)
  
• 1/4 t. baking soda (opt-see above)
• 1 c. nuts (optional, for added protein)
  

Combine all your dry ingredients (including cooked oatmeal if using). Add apple juice and stir. If it's too dry, add a little more juice. Add the mashed bananas and 2 T. of honey or sweetener. Stir. Drop onto greased cookie sheets and bake for 20-25 mins. I like mine closer to the 25 mins or so side...they are a little more chewy this way.

Other Variations
(I haven't tried these but I think they would be great!)

Hawaiian Variation

Follow recipe but instead of apple juice, use pineapple juice.
Instead of banana, use pineapple tidbits (about one cup).
Add 1/2 c or more of unsweetened coconut to the batter.
Taste, you may not even need the extra sweetener (agave/honey)

Cinnamon Raisin Variation
Instead of banana, use 1/2 to 1 c. raisins
Add 1-3 t. of cinnamon to the mix (depending on how much you like cinnamon.)

Carrot Cake Variation
Instead of banana, use 1-2 c. shredded carrots
Add 1/2 to 1 c. of raisins or pineapple and nuts (opt)
Use pineapple or apple juice depending on your preference


NOTE: I am entering this recipe into the next Simply Indulgent Mondays on Amy's website. See what it's all about here.

Recipe Review #1: Healthy and Yummy Chocolate Zucchini Cake Mu

Ever wish you could find out if that recipe is actually good? Yes? Well, you've come to the right place. This starts my first post of recipe reviews. I will note when I follow a recipe exactly or closely and what the results were. The past week, my mother made chocolate zucchini cake for the rest of the family. Knowing that I could definitely not partake of the glutenous, sugar, and dairy laden cake, I started to look for some sort of cake or muffin that I could make and then freeze the leftovers. I found this post and will show it with what I did and the results I got. But all the credit definitely goes to ladybugsandbees! I followed the recipe pretty closely!

Gluten Free Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

(I got 18 muffins with this recipe)

• 1 cup extra finely ground brown rice flour
• 1/3 cup potato starch (not flour)
• 2 Tbs plus 2 tsp Tapioca Flour /Starch
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp xanthan gum
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 2/3 cup agave nectar
• 1/2 cup coconut oil (melt if solid)
• 1/4 cup full fat coconut milk plus 2 Tbs water
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup shredded zucchini

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare muffin pan with paper liners or spray with non stick spray.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, and salt. In a second bowl, combine agave nectar, coconut oil, coconut milk,water, eggs and zucchini. Add the flour mixture to the “wet ingredients” and mix well until fully blended.

3. Divide batter evenly between muffin cups, filling each to about 1/2- 3/4 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

These were really good! I could taste the yummy coconut flavor in them too with the oil and coconut milk. Next time, I want to try them with less fat and sugar etc but I am learning to follow the recipe to exactness on the first try making it . I will update you when I make them again. Also, see her site for just plain chocolate muffins (use 1 c. applesauce in place of the zucchini). I filled these about 1/2 to 3/4 full and then wet my fingers with water to smooth the tops so that they’d be even. They are filling and rich tasting. For an even richer treat, add chocolate chips as she did or raisins. Thanks again ladybugsandbees of gluten-free naturally!