Autumn Squash Muffins

Dry ingredients:

1 cup oat flour
1/2 cup quinoa flour
1/4 cup rice flour
3 tablespoons ground flax seed
2 tablespoons tapioca flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Wet ingredients:

1 cup cooked butternut squash, mashed
3/4 cup soy milk (or other milk)
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup agave nectar

Mix dry and wet ingredients separately, then combine, adding more milk if the batter is too stiff or dry, or more agave nectar for a sweeter muffin.

Spoon into greased muffin tin and bake for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees. Allow muffins to cool slightly to improve texture.

Oat-Free Banana Muffins, Version Two

(This one was a textural triumph. No crumbling! And yummy besides!)

Combine the following dry ingredients:

1 cup rice flour
1/2 cup millet flour
1/2 cup quinoa flour
2 tablespoons tapioca flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons flax, ground
1/4 cup walnuts, finely chopped

In a separate bowl, combine the following wet ingredients:

1 ripe banana, mashed
1/2 cup canola oil
3/4 cup milk (soy, rice, etc.)
1 tablespoon vanilla

Combine wet and dry ingredients, then pour into greased muffin tin. Bake for 12-15 minutes at 350 degrees. Makes 12 muffins.

(For a sweeter, more traditional flavor, add 1-2 tablespoons of agave nectar to the mix.)

Raisin Muffins

1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup slivered almonds
2 tablespoons flax seed

Combine above ingredients, then divide in half. Grind each half in coffee grinder, then add all ground ingredients to the following:

1 cup rice flour
2 tablespoons tapioca flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder

Add the following liquid ingredients and mix well:

1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup cold coffee
1/2 cup milk (soy, rice, etc.)

Pour into greased muffin tin and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.

Ginger Grapefruit Bread

(The grapefruit was Little Lad's idea...The HBB observes that a small handful of coarsely chopped cranberries might be an attractive touch.)

1 1/2 cups rice flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons ground flax seed

Thoroughly combine dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine the following:

1 apple, grated
1 to 2 inches fresh ginger root, minced
juice from one grapefruit (we used pink; about 3/4 cup)
1/2 cup canola oil

Combine wet and dry ingredients (don't mix too thoroughly; just a quick stir), then pour into greased skillet or pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.

SWEETNESS NOTE: The HBB says that this recipe would have benefited from a bit of agave nectar to soften the grapefruit's bitter edge. He suggests 2 tablespoons, or up to 1/4 cup for the sweet tooth.

Oat-Free Banana Muffins

Mix together the following dry ingredients:

1 1/2 cup rice flour
1/4 cup teff flour
2 tablespoons tapioca flour
2 tablespoons ground flax seed
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Add the following wet ingredients, and stir to blend:

1/2 cup oil
2/3 cup milk (soy, rice, hemp, etc.)
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 banana, mashed

Bake in muffin tin for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve topped with Earth Balance Buttery Spread or similar product. Makes 12 muffins.

Baked Apples with Michaelmas Dragons

(Michaelmas, or St. Michael's Feast Day, is a favorite at our house...largely because of the dragon tales that accompany it! For this year's celebration, the HBB adapted an old Better Homes & Gardens cookbook recipe for baked apples, then created cinnamon-y dragons and wee knights to go with it. Special thanks to Uncle Joe for inspiring us with his Cinnamon Chums!)

Baked Apples

Wash and core six large apples. Stuff raisins and chopped walnuts into center hole, then place stuffed apples into a 9x9-inch baking dish.

Sauce:
1 cup water
1/4 cup agave nectar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Place sauce ingredients into a small pan and heat until boiling. Pour over apples and bake at 350 degrees for one hour, basting with the sauce twice during baking.

After removing from oven, place apples in serving dishes to cool. Return sauce to pan and gently simmer to reduce the liquid to about half a cup.

To serve, divide liquid and pour over apples. Top with a teaspoon of sour cream substitute and serve with cinnamon cookies (recipe below).

Cinnamon Cookies (Dragons, Knights, etc.!)

1 cup oat flour
1/2 cup rice flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup agave nectar

Mix together all ingredients. Chill for an hour or so. Roll out, using oat flour to dust the surface.

Using a small cookie cutter, cut shapes, re-rolling as needed. Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees until edges are brown, about 10 minutes.

Coming Soon

Recipes for Banana Ginger Cake, Flax Biscuits, Peach Tart and (above) Banana Pear Muffins. (I need roller skates to keep up with the HBB!)

Apple Walnut Cake

(Here's another oat-free recipe; we gave it a big thumbs-up at breakfast this morning. My apologies for the lack of detail in these and previous photos; it's been dark and rainy and the pix have been blurry.)

1 cup rice flour
1/2 cup teff flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix dry ingredients; cut in 1/2 cup butter substitute (we use Earth Balance Buttery Spread, which does contain corn and soy).

1 large apple, grated
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1 cup milk (soy, rice, etc.)

Mix and add to flour/butter mixture. Bake in greased pan (8-inch skillet) at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Overnight Banana Muffins

(This is a variation on the cinnamon-raisin muffin recipe that my children adore. The HBB notes that walnuts would make a tasty addition, if you felt so inclined.)

approx. 1 cup oatmeal
1/3 cup raisins

Place in cereal bowl and cover with milk (soy, rice, etc.). Soak overnight in refrigerator.

Combine the following dry ingredients:

1 cup oat flour
1/2 cup rice flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Combine 1 ripe banana (mashed) and 1/4 cup of oil. Stir into oatmeal mixture, then add dry ingredients and mix well. Add a bit of milk if dough is too dry. Scoop into muffin tins and bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.

Red Lentil Soup with Pesto Biscuits

(Confession: these savory biscuits were not a hit with the wee folk. Nor with the HBB himself, who claims he has trouble getting past the garbanzo-flour taste. But I liked them fine...and they're oat-free!)


Red Lentil Soup

1 large onion, chopped
1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped

Fry above ingredients in two tablespoons of oil until soft.

Add:

1 cup red lentils
1 cup buckwheat groats
8 cups water
1 teaspoon cumin

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 30-45 minutes, uncovering halfway through. Add salt and pepper to taste.


Pesto Biscuits

3/4 cup garbanzo bean flour
1/2 cup rice flour
1/2 cup quinoa flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder

Mix dry ingredients together.

Mix together the following "pesto" ingredients:

1/4 cup almond butter
1/4 cup olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
3-4 stems' worth of basil leaves, chopped fine
2/3 cup milk (soy, rice, hemp, etc.)

Combine dry and wet ingredients, mixing quickly. Scoop onto baking sheet to make 8-10 biscuits. Top each biscuit with a few pine nuts, if desired. Bake at 425 degrees for 12-15 minutes.