Banana Chocolate Chip Muffin

I feel as if I have perfected muffin baking and that is a huge score for a non-baker! Much thanks must be given to Wildtree for their simple, gluten free mix which is filled with lots of nutrient dense ancient grains. After a little experimenting, I have figured out how to bake them without eggs or dairy and no one can tell the difference! This recipe is easily adapted to Pumpkin Muffins as well but be mindful which mix I reference - the recipe differs.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

(with crispy cinnamon sugar tops)

1 box Wildtree Gluten Free muffin mix

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 or 2 ripe bananas, mashed (if they do not equal 3/4 cup - top off rest of measurement with unsweetened apple sauce)

1/3 cup chocolate chips

3 1/2 TBSP Wildtree Butter GSO

1/2 cup rice milk

cinnamon sugar for muffin tops

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pan with liners. Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl, until the batter starts to thicken slightly. Spoon into muffin liners - almost to the top. Sprinkle each muffin top with cinnamon sugar and bake for about 25 minutes until the top is crusty and springs back to the touch and a cake tester comes out clean. I find that baking these muffins without the eggs requires a little extra time. Just be sure the tops are starting to brown and the muffin is springy when touched. Super delicious!

Chocolate Chip Cookies ~ Gluten free & vegan and yes...delicious!

I don't know about you, but there is nothing quite like a warm, gooey, chewy, crispy chocolate chip cookie fresh from the oven! When we discovered that wheat, butter, and eggs had to be eliminated from our diet, I was saddened to think that Oliver wouldn't get to make Papa's famous chocolate chip cookies again. They have so much fun baking them together...and even more fun trying to eat the batter in secret! Luckily, I discovered Babycakes, Elana's Pantry, Gluten Free Goddess and many other amazing resources for gluten free and vegan baking. One day this summer Papa & Oliver tried their hand at a Babycakes' recipe and it was delicious!

  

Oliver & Papa baking cookies.

Hooray! Hooray! For chocolate chip cookies today!

Goopy, sticky batter turns into... 

crispy, chewy, decadent cookie!

The recipe we used is from Erin McKenna's first cookbook, babycakes and it's super easy!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup coconut oil

6 Tablespoons homemade applesauce or store-bought unsweetened applesauce

1 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons pure vanilla extract

1 and 1/4 cups evaporated cane juice

2 cups Bob's Red Mill gluten-free all-purpose baking flour

1/4 cup flax meal

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 and 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum

1 cup vegan chocolate chips

Preparation

Preheat the oven the 325 F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, mix together the oil, applesauce, salt, vanilla, and evaporated cane juice. In another medium bowl, whisk together the flour, flax meal, baking soda and xanthan gum. Using a rubber spatula, carefully add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until a grainy dough is formed. Gently fold in the chocolate chips just until they are evenly distributed through the dough.

Using a melon baller, scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing the portions 1 inch apart. Gently press each with the heel of your hand to help them spread. Bake the cookies on the center rack for 15 minutes, rotating the sheets 180 degrees after 9 minutes. The finished cookies will be crisp on the edges and soft in the center.

Let the cookies stand on the sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack and cool completely before covering. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Wickedly Decadent Brownies

My Recipe for Gluten, Dairy & Egg Free Brownies

 

I love brownies! And so does my son...and my husband! We all have sweet tooths, especially for chocolate. Not being able to whip up some brownies as a special treat was difficult when we had to go gluten, dairy and egg free. I tried certain brownie mixes from places like Bob's Red Mill, which were ok, but they had an off-chocolate taste to a chocolate lover like me. Then Wildtree launched their Gluten Free line and my joy for eating brownies has been restored. Not only are they deliciously chocolaty, they are also made using Ancient Grains so they are more healthful than a lot of Gluten Free products out on the market shelves. These brownies are dense, chewy, rich and wickedly decadent!

Wickedly Decadent Brownies

 

Ingredients

1 package Wildtree Gluten Free Brownies

4 TBSP Wildtree Butter GSO

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

2 tsp baking powder

2 TBSP rice milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x9 inch baking pan with Butter GSO. Place all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and the edges start to come away.

Cool and serve. 

Serves 16 (or one if you are me!) 

Cook's Note
If you can eat eggs, use 2 of them instead of the applesauce and baking powder. I find I need to add extra baking time when I swap out the eggs for applesauce.  If you use 2 eggs instead, you will only need to cook 30-40 minutes.

Pancakes

Oliver's plate of chocolate chip pancakes!

Our family loves pancakes! With blueberries, chocolate chips, cinnamon, gingerbread...you name, we like it. Having to go gluten, dairy and egg free was a real bummer in terms of pancake making, but I have discovered ways to make them that are just as good.

Bob's Red Mill has a pretty good mix that is easy to make but we prefer the recipe from Babycakes newest cookbook.

Basic Pancakes

Ingredients

2 cups All Purpose Gf Flour (I use Bob's Red Mill)

2 tsp Baking Soda

2 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Ground Cinnamon

1 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Xanthan Gum

2/3 cup Agave Nectar

2/3 cup Rice Milk

2/3 cup Unsweetened Apple Sauce

1/2 cup coconut or Wildtree's Butter Flavored Grapeseed Oil

2 TBSP Pure Vanilla Extract

1/2 cup blueberries or chocolate chips

Directions

In a medium bowl whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and xanthan gum.  Add agave nectar, rice milk, apple sauce, coconut oil or grapeseed oil, and vanilla. Mix with rubber spatula until smooth. Stir in blueberries or chocolate chips.

Place griddle over medium heat. Add 1 tsp coconut or grapeseed oil to coat pan. Pour in 1/4 cup portions and cook until surface of pancake is dimpled with tiny holes, then flip. Cook other side for about 2 minutes more.

Transfer to a warm plate in oven. Repeat. Serve with sliced bananas and warm maple syrup.

Vegan Lasagna Cupcakes

Lasagna Cupcakes

Yes...I said lasagna cupcakes.

I am partial to anything in cupcake form, but being a lasagna lover - this is a match made in heaven!

Lasagna is actually a pretty easy dish to make. Lasagna cupcakes are a little more involved...and mine are gluten, dairy and egg free which requires a little more planning...but so worth it! You can make them with all the usual suspects if you do not have any allergies, but this is a treat for us - as we have missed lasagna!

Vegan Lasagna Cupcakes

First preheat oven to 350 and boil salted water for lasagna noodles:

Undercook 1 box gluten free lasagna noodles as they will continue cooking in the oven. I cooked mine for about 8 minutes.

Then make the veggies:

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 container baby bella mushrooms, chopped
2 medium zucchini, quartered and diced small

1 TBSP Wildtree Garlic Grapeseed Oil

1 TBSP Wildtree Butter Grapeseed Oil

A dash of Wildtree's CA Garlic Pepper and Scampi Blends

Pre-heat the GSO in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions and soften. Then add the mushrooms and zucchini and Wildtree seasonings and cook until soft.

And the sauce:

1/2 onion, chopped

1 TBSP Wildtree Garlic Grapeseed Oil

28 oz can plain tomatoes (I prefer Muir Glen's Ground Peeled Tomatoes)

2 TBSP Wildtree Hearty Spaghetti Blend

salt & pepper to taste

Cook the onions and gso til they soften, add tomatoes and seasonings and simmer until you are ready to assemble the cupcakes.

Then make the tofu ricotta:

2 cloves garlic (I pressed them to maximize health benefits)

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley

2 tsp Wildtree Grapeseed Oil

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper
1 container silken tofu (you can also use firm or extra firm tofu - I just happened to use silken)

Add garlic, grapeseed oil, basil and parsley to a food processor and pulse. Add tofu, salt and pepper and pulse again. Taste and add more grapeseed oil (and lemon juice - I didn't have any) for taste and consistency.

Finally, build your cupcakes:

  In a standard muffin pan, start with a dollop of sauce, a piece of noodle, a dollop of tofu ricotta, some veggies, and a sprinkling of cheese. Repeat.  End with a last piece of noodle if it fits and cover with sauce and sprinkle cheese on top.  Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes or until bubbly and starting to brown.

To order any Wildtree poducts, please go to www.jenwarr.mywildtree.com.

A sweet tooth, a giveaway and a discount!

A sweet tooth, a giveaway and a discount! 

I admit two things...

1.  I have a sweet tooth. 

2.  I was skeptical of Wildtree's Gluten Free line. 

My sweet tooth...let's just say it's not about candy...is all about baked goods. Brownies...donuts...cupcakes...cookies...and all made with chocolate.  Its severity comes and goes, but I am never one to turn down a baked good...or two...and I pretty much never feel guilty for it as I try to eat healthy the rest of the time. 

One day things changed. I could no longer eat eggs, dairy, wheat or yeast. Have you ever tried to make brownies from scratch, let alone from a box, without these major ingredients?

I have. It wasn't easy at first. Some are good and some are just awful! Never in my life did I imagine I would ever throw away a frosted chocolate cake with vanilla frosting. But I did. It was inedible! So my quest for delicious baked goods made without gluten, eggs or dairy carried on.

Babycakes does not disappoint, but I can't always get to their bakery so I mastered making their donuts at home!

Sun In Bloom's Carrot Cupcakes are divine, but again, I am not often in Brooklyn. 

Real Food Daily's Chocolate Mousse is amazing but doesn't always sate my desire for a baked good.
 

Bob's Red Mill Mix is actually pretty good but it is very dense and has a slightly off-chocolate flavor. 

And then there's Wildtree. Their Gluten Free line is launching on August 15, but as a Rep, I got a sneak peek...or taste that is. I was worried, but my first taste (at my leader's team meeting) put all my fears to rest - they were delicious! However, they had been made with eggs and milk so they were not safe for my family. I tried baking them at home, making a few substitutions and voila! Simple, delicious, safe brownies for my family. And, like all products from Wildtree, nutritionally dense. Made with amaranth, quinoa, millet, sorghum and teff. Stay tuned for more information about these powerhouses of nutrients! In the meantime, enjoy the recipe, enter the giveaway and pre-order your Gluten Free Brownies for a 10% discount! (see below)

GLUTEN FREE Brownie Giveaway

Just because these are that good...I am inspired to get you baking!

There are 4 ways to enter the contest:
***Place an order before midnight on Saturday July 30th. You can pre-order the any of the Gluten Free items and receive a 10% discount. You must contact me via email or phone to do so.

***Leave a message on my Wildtree Cooking with Jen Facebook Fan Page stating that you would like to try the brownies.

***Leave a note here on this blog stating that you would like to try the brownies. 

***Join my team. I'll even reimburse you for the shipping when you qualify.

My Recipe for Gluten, Dairy & Egg Free Brownies

Ingredients

1 package Wildtree Gluten Free Brownies

4 TBSP Wildtree Butter GSO

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

2 tsp baking powder

2 TBSP rice milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x9 inch baking pan with Butter GSO. Place all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and the edges start to come away. Cool and serve. 

Serves 16 (or one if you are me!) 

Cook's Notes
If you can eat eggs, use 2 of them instead of the applesauce and baking powder. I find I need to add extra baking time when I swap out the eggs for applesauce.  If you use 2 eggs instead, you will only need to cook 30-40 minutes.

Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

I have been on the hunt for recipes that our safe for our family...that means no wheat, egg, dairy or yeast to name a few things. At first glance, it's not the easiest endeavor, but I have been fortunate to find some amazing people writing incredible blogs chock full of yummy recipes and advice. Gluten Free Goddess is one of those people I recently stumbled upon and I have made her delicious Banana Chocolate Chip Bread recipe twice...in two days! I think it's safe to say my family loved this recipe and didn't miss any of the typical ingredients we used to use.

Banana Chocolate Chip Bread Recipe

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil the bottom of a standard bread loaf pan.

Combine in a large bowl:

3 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup puree)

1/3 cup Wildtree Butter Grapeseed Oil

1 cup brown sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

Whisk together in a separate bowl:

1 1/2 cups gluten-free flour blend (I used Bob's Red Mill)

1 tsp baking soda

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp sea salt

1 TBSP arrowroot starch

1/2 tsp xanthan gum

1 rounded tsp cinnamon (I used a little extra!)

Add the dry ingredients into the banana mixture and stir until smooth. If the batter looks too thin and wet, add more gluten-free flour, a tablespoon at a time, to thicken the batter.

Add in:

1/2 cup chocolate chips (or use chopped walnuts or pecans instead)

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake in the center of a preheated oven for an hour, until the loaf is firm, a bit crusty, and a wooden pick inserted into the center emerges clean.

Cool the loaf on a wire rack.

Slice and wrap each slice in foil; bag and freeze.

This bread is tasty as is, but- it is truly sublime when grilled in a hot iron skillet with a touch of light olive oil. The chocolate chips melt and the banana fragrance intensifies and your taste buds- well, they get very, very happy.

This recipe is blissfully gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, soy-free, nut-free, and corn-free (if you check the source of your xanthan gum and baking powder).

Read the original post: http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2007/11/banana-chocolate-chip-bread.html#ixzz1Qo64Ullw