Blueberry muffins

One of the first recipes I converted to GF/CF was Blueberry muffins. My family ate the first attempts but something seemed a bit off. Over time I realized that the texture wasn't great because I wasn't mixing the batter long enough. The Betty Crocker cookbook teaches you (on the same page as the blueberry muffin recipe!) that if you overmix muffins, they will have a peaked shape. I finally realized that I would rather have a peaked shape but a smoother textured muffin. Let the batter fully mix for at least 30 seconds. It should look like it has a uniform color to it and be smooth.

I love this recipe because I can have the muffins in the oven in 5 minutes, then the muffins bake while I enjoy a cup of coffee and whatever book I am currently reading.
This recipe was adapted from the 2006 Betty Crocker cookbook

Blueberry muffins
Makes 12

Ingredients
3/4 cup milk substitute (I use rice milk)
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 large egg
2 cups All purpose Gluten free flour
1/2 tsp guar gum
1/4 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease 12 muffin cups with spray oil. In large bowl, beat milk, oil and egg until well mixed. Stir in flour, guar gum, xanthan gum, sugar, baking powder and salt all at once. Mix well. Fold in blueberries. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.
Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Each muffin has 4 points on the Weight Watchers Plus points system.

Enjoy!

Pancakes

     Part of the fear of going GF/CF is the belief that you will have to eat weird, funny tasting foods. While I do agree that some of the alternative choices can have a different flavor, there are many options that very closely mimic the original.

     Our breakfast this morning was pancakes. Light, fluffy pancakes straight out of the Betty Crocker cookbook. I simply substitute my all-purpose GF flour (I will put a post up about that soon), with a bit of xanthan gum and rice milk.

     I know that a lot of bloggers out there are turning to grain free and whole grain (less starchy) GF baking. I think that is wonderful and have tried some of that myself, but when it comes to feeding a very picky 10 year old who just wants his food to look and taste how he remembers it, this is the way to go.

We topped them with a non-dairy butter (be sure that the one you use is CF, many of the "non-butter" subs still contain it) and homemade pancake syrup.

Pancakes, makes 9 4-inch

1 egg
1 cup all purpose GF flour
1/2 tsp Xanthan gum
3/4 cup milk sub (you can use rice, almond, soy, hemp, etc.)
1 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
3 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

In a medium bowl, beat egg with hand beater (I use a stand mixer) until fluffy. Beat in remaining ingredients. Mix on high for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Grease whatever pan you are using to cook these (I use Trader Joe's canola spray). Use a scant 1/4 cup of batter per pancake. Cook pancakes until bubbly on top, puffed and dry around edges. Turn and cook other sides until golden brown. I find that using a lower heat setting than I would with "traditional" pancakes gives them time to cook through without burning.

Each pancake is 3 points on the Weight Watchers Points Plus Program (6 points for 2 pancakes)

For anyone who may be following the Weight Watchers points plus plan, I will try to include the points value of each of the recipes I post. Please remember that if you are using a different all-purpose flour, your points may vary slightly.