Quickbreads: Gluten-Free

Molasses give these muffins their chocolate color and complex flavor.

2 cups Brown Rice Flour
1/3 cup Tapioca Flour
1/2 cup potato starch
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 cup ground flax seeds
1/3 cup walnuts, chopped
1 teaspoon cinnamon
4 large Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup Molasses
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 350^oF. Recipe makes 12-15 muffins. Prepare muffin tins by lightly greasing with oil, shortening or vegan butter or line with paper muffin cups. 

1. In a large bowl mix together rice flour, tapioca, potato starch, baking soda, cinnamon, flax seeds and walnuts.
2. Add in chopped dates, separating the sticky pieces as possible.
3. In a separate bowl mix together vinegar, molasses and water.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well.
5. Spoon about 1/2 cup of batter into each muffin cup.
6. Bake for 25 minutes until muffins are firm.
7. Remove from oven. Let cool. Remove the muffins from the tin, place in a basket and serve with your favorite spreads.

Bananas typically don’t last long enough in our home to get really ripe and gooey. But when they do, they are perfect for making banana muffins.

2 cups Brown Rice Flour
1/3 cup Tapioca Flour
1/2 cup potato starch (corn starch or arrowroot may be substituted)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped (any other nut or seed may be substituted)
2 Tablespoons maple sugar (or other sweetener like evaporated cane juice)
2 medium very ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 cup ground flax seeds mixed into 1/2 cup water
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 cup water

Preheat oven to 350^oF. Recipe makes 12 – 18 muffins. Prepare muffin tins by lightly greasing with oil or vegan shortening (non-hydrogenated) or line with paper muffin cups. 

1. In a large bowl mix together rice flour, tapioca, potato starch, baking soda.
2. In a small bowl mix together flax seeds in 1/2 cup water, add vinegar, mashed bananas and sugar. Bananas do not have to be completely blended in, small bits in the mixture are fine.
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well.
4. Pour in 1 cup water and beat the batter by hand.
5. Stir in nuts.
6. Spoon batter into each muffin cup about 3/4 full.
7. Bake for 20 minutes until muffins are firm and golden brown.
8. Remove from oven. Let cool. Remove the muffins from the tin, place in a basket and serve with your favorite spreads.

Bring the sunshine to your winter breakfast table with Lemon Poppy Seed muffins. Red bananas add their own light lemony flavor while adding sweetness and acting as a binder.

2 cups Brown Rice Flour
1/3 cup Tapioca Flour
1/2 cup potato starch
2 teaspoons baking soda
3 Tablespoons poppy seeds
2 Tablespoons sugar (evaporated cane juice)
Juice from 1 lemon (about 3 Tablespoons lemon juice)
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup ground flax seeds mixed into 1/2 cup water
1 red banana, mashed (a conventional Cavendish banana can be used instead)

Preheat oven to 350^oF. Recipe makes 12-15 muffins. Prepare muffin tins by lightly greasing with oil or vegan butter or line with paper muffin cups. 

1. In a large bowl mix together rice flour, tapioca, potato starch, baking soda and poppy seeds.
2. In a small bowl mix together flax seeds in 1/2 cup water, add vinegar, lemon juice, lemon zest, mashed bananas and sugar.
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well.
4. Pour in 1 cup water and blend followed by the remaining 1/2 cup of water. Beat the batter by hand.
5. Spoon about 1/2 cup of batter into each muffin cup.
6. Bake for 15 minutes until muffins are firm and golden brown.
7. Remove from oven. Let cool. Remove the muffins from the tin, place in a basket and serve with your favorite spreads.

Brown Rice Flour, Tapioca Starch, Flax Seeds, Apple Cider Vinegar – these are staples in gluten-free, vegan baking. When you have them on hand, the rest is easy. These muffins took less than 1/2 hour to mix together, bake and serve. Make every weekend a holiday with these Holiday Apple Cranberry Spice Muffins. Serve with REAL Apple Cranberry Raisin Butter (Holiday Butter)

This muffin is not sweet, it is more like a bread. We sweeten the muffins with our favorite fruit butter spreads.
2 cups brown rice flour
1/3 cup tapioca Flour
1/2 cup starch (potato, corn, arrowroot)
2 teaspoons Baking Soda
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup ground flax seeds
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas) plus 2 Tablespoons for garnish
1/2 cup REAL Apple Cranberry Raisin Butter or any fruit butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger powder
OPTIONAL, For a sweeter muffin: 2 Tablespoons – 1/4 cup evaporated cane juice

Preheat oven to 350^oF. Prepare muffin tins by lightly greasing with vegetable shortening or oil, or line with paper muffin cups. 

1. In a large bowl whisk together rice flour, tapioca, starch, baking soda, flax seeds, spices and 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds.
2. In a small bowl mix together water, vinegar, fruit butter and sugar (if using).
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well. The batter will be thick and dry.
4. Spoon about 1/2 cup of batter into each muffin cup.
5. With a food brush and a little water, smooth the tops of the muffins. Sprinkle a few pumpkin seeds on top of each one.
6. Bake for 20 minutes until muffins are golden brown.
7. Remove from oven. Let cool. Remove the muffins from the tin, place in a basket and serve with your favorite spreads.

Here’s a variation on Chickpea Flour Flatbread. Combining Socca, the chickpea flour crepe and the pizza dough bread served with toppings called Foccacia and you have Soccacia!

When I was young, on special occasions we would go to Cookie’s Steak Pub for dinner. They were known for the large quartered chunks of iceberg lettuce served with a choice of 4 creamy dressings, a shrimp cocktail bar and endless mini slices of banana bread that I loved. With all the great greens available, I rarely have iceberg lettuce now. Steaks and shrimp have been off my menu for a long time. But banana bread endures, better than ever, with no refined flours or cholesterol, slightly sweet and good for you. Baked in mini loaf pans, I slice the bread to resemble the restaurant version.

I love tea parties! And a tea party needs scones. For a REAL afternoon tea, try these: Strawberry-Tahini scones.

Thanksgiving morning breakfast before the big meal of the day – Pumpkin Spice Muffins. They are easy to make and get you into the spirit of pumpkin and spice and everything nice.

2 cups White Rice Flour
1 cup Tapioca Flour
2 teaspoons Baking Soda
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 cups water
1/4 cup ground flax seeds mixed into 1/2 cup water
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds or any other nut or seed
1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Preheat oven to 350^oF. Recipe makes about 15 muffins.  Prepare muffin tins by lightly greasing with oil or vegan butter or line with paper muffin cups. 

1. In a large bowl whisk together rice flour, tapioca, baking soda and spices.
2. In a small bowl mix together flax seeds in 1/2 cup water, add vinegar, apple sauce and sugar.
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well.
4. Pour in 1 cup water and blend followed by the remaining cup of water.  Beat the batter by hand.
5. Spoon about 1/2 cup of batter into each muffin cup.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes until muffins are golden brown.
7. Remove from oven. Let cool. Remove the muffins from the tin, place in a basket and serve with your favorite spreads.

This is a variation of Socca. It is the easiest flatbread you can make. It’s always a delightful surprise to see the liquid batter come out of the oven as bread after baking. Most of our recipes here are gluten-free. Check them out at the RECIPES tab above.

2 cups chickpea flour (more if needed)
1 1/2 cups water (more if needed)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 dash salt (optional)
1 dash pepper (optional)

Preheat oven to 400º F 

1. In a large bowl combine the flour and spices (garlic, parsley, rosemary, pepper flakes, salt, and pepper) with a whisk until fully incorporated.
2. Add the water one half cup at a time and let the mixture set for a couple of minutes between each 1/2 cup. The amount of chickpea flour to water always varies depending on the grade of flour. When the batter is the constancy of heavy cream, let set for about 10 minutes.
3. Grease a 9×13 inch sheet pan with at least a 1 inch depth and line the bottom with parchment paper. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes, or until the bread is brown on the edges and firm in the center.
4. Let cool before cutting into the desired shape. This bread keeps 4-5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat it in a 250 degree oven until it is warm to touch before serving.

For thicker flat bread use an 8×10 inch Pyrex pan prepared the same way (greased and lined with parchment paper).

This gluten-free hamburger bun goes great with the Black Bean burger and melted almond cheese.

2 3/4 cups all-purpose gluten free four (Bob’s Redmill)
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons apple sauce
1/4 cup Earth Balance buttery spread or shortening
1 cup unsweetened soy milk
1 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup raw sesame seeds 

Mix together dry ingredients. Cut in shortening using two knives, a food processor or a hand mixer. Mixture should look crumbly. Combine soy milk and vinegar and pour into flour mixture. Mix to incorporate all ingredients and form a dough. Dough should be moist and smooth, not sticky. If it is sticky add most flour, a little bit at a time. Divide dough into 6 balls. Pat each ball into a round about 3 1/2 inches by 1/2 inch. Put the sesame seeds on a plate or in a bowl and press one side of the dough in it to get covered with the seeds. Repeat for the others. Place the rounds on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake at 375F for about 12-15 minutes, until lightly golden brown. Makes 6 buns.