Gluten-Free Banana Amaranth Muffins

I have a feeling these are the last days of summer.
It’s a bit cooler, days seem shorter.
Still, I foresee many more weeks of mostly outdoor play, which is something that makes my mother-heart happy.

Yesterday the kids spent the better part of the afternoon jumping on the trampoline, playing on the swing set.  By midafternoon, their lunch of steamed brocolli, brown rice, & Fieldroast had long worn off.  Hyrum & Asher were begging for “something to eat.”  I had plenty of ripe bananas, sugary sweet, flecked with brown spots all over.

Banana bread?  No.
“Banana cupcakes,”  Hyrum suggested.
I struck a compromise.  Banana muffins.

I pulled out this dusty ol’ recipe (circa a few years ago) & revamped it.  Made it gluten free,  thanks to some flours I received from Bob’s Red Mill.

(Note:  A Bob’s Red Mill giveaway of these flours & others, coming up later today.)

In this recipe, I use Bob’s gluten-free all purpose baking flour & Bob’s amaranth flour.  In my old recipe, I grind my own flour from amaranth seed using my Blendtec.  Since amaranth is a harder-to-find grain, already milled amaranth flour may be your best option if you’re using it in baked goods.  Amaranth is gluten-free grain (actually a seed, similar to quinoa in that way), that is high in protein.  It’s one of my favorite cooked breakfast cereals & like adding a 1/4 c. or so to pancakes or waffles to add a nutty, rich flavor.

I like how versatile the all purpose flour is.  You can use it cup for cup to replace white flour & you don’t have to worry about adding any fillers or gums.

That said, I don’t like it in everything.  I tried it in my first batch of chocolate chip cookies, but decided I didn’t like the slight aftertaste of fava bean flour (one of the flours in the mix) mixed with the taste of chocolate chips, so I opted for a combination of Bob’s white rice flour & almond meal instead (a beautiful combo).

In combination with the right ingredients, the all purpose flour works like a charm.  In this recipe, I like it paired with the nutty amaranth flour which complements the sweetness from the bananas & applesauce.

I know, I have a lot of photos of little fingers grabbing treats.

It’s funny, because if I had it my way, I would demand cleaner shots without all the grabby hands, but this is real life.  I bring out the treats, & every little body comes flocking, anxious to have the first bite.

Gluten-Free Banana Amaranth Muffins

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 60 minutes

Yield: 12 large muffins

Serving Size: 1 muffin

Calories per serving: 194 w/out walnuts, 243 w/ walnuts

Fat grams per serving: 1 g w/out walnuts, 6 g w/ walnuts

Gluten-Free Banana Amaranth Muffins

Gluten-free, vegan banana amaranth muffins. Amaranth flour gives these goods a nutty, earthy flavor. Perfect for breakfast on-the-go. Or as the case may be, an afternoon snack.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 c. Bob's Red Mill all-purpose gluten-free flour
  • 1/2 c. Bob's Red Mill amaranth flour
  • 1 c. organic evaporated cane juice
  • 1 c. stevia in the raw (or an additional c. of sugar)
  • 2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. nutmeg
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. vinegar
  • 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 tsp. butter extract (optional; btw, it's vegan)
  • 2 c. applesauce
  • 2 c. mashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium/large bananas)
  • 3/4 c. walnuts, chopped

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  2. Lightly spray non-stick muffin tin.
  3. Sift dry ingredients.
  4. Mix wet ingredients.
  5. Combine.
  6. Gently stir in 1/2 c. chopped walnuts.
  7. Pour batter into muffin tins.
  8. Sprinkle 1 tsp. chopped walnuts on top of each muffin.
  9. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the muffins pass the toothpick test.
  10. Remove from oven & cool on cookie rack for 10-15 minutes.
  11. Once completely cool, freeze leftovers, or store in air-tight container for 2-3 days.

Additional nutrition info, per muffin: Without walnuts: 4 g fiber, 25 g sugar, 3 g protein, 100 mg salt, 47 g carbs. Adding walnuts adds .5 g fiber, 1 g protein.

Looking for more vegan, gluten-free healthy recipes?
Check out Diet, Dessert, & Dogs blog Wellness Weekend where you’ll find this recipe & many others.  Also shared at Cybele Pascal.


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