Banana Nut Muffin Bites

January 25, 2012 Kate

I am loving using mashed bananas in my recipes. This is a way to create moisture without oil and to add a delicious taste. What's funny, I hated plain bananas as a kid and still do. I think it's the mushy, stringy texture because I certainly love banana flavor. OK, so maybe I just love the fake artificial flavor in Banana Laughy Taffy and Runts!

As soon as I had success with the Sweet Potato Biscuit Bites, I wanted to try a similar recipe with bananas. Once we are all back in the mood for pumpkin, there will be pumpkin muffin bites as well. I couldn't decide what to call these. They were more like a biscuit fresh and hot out of the oven, but once you store them(if you can hold back eating them all!) they become moist and more like a muffin. They remind me of those muffin top flat breads with walnuts that we had as kids. I can't think of the name, you'd toast them and spread butter on them, so good! I say that, but I bet if I were to try one of those now it would be so sweet and gross!! These are definitely sweet and the best part is, they are grain free and gluten free!

Recipe: Banana Nut Muffin Bites

Ingredients
2 1/4 cups almond flour
1 Tbsp arrowroot powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup walnuts, chopped
1 egg plus 1 yolk
3/4 cup over ripe banana, mashed
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 -1/3 cup honey or sweetener of choice
1/8 tsp sea salt
coconut oil, melted (to brush the tops of muffins)

Instructions
Combine flour, arrowroot, baking soda and salt and set aside
In a small bowl, whisk the egg and yolk, add vanilla, mashed banana and honey. Mix well
Pour egg mixture in to flour mixture and combine
Fold in walnuts
With a cookie scoop or tablespoon, place batter on a greased or parchment lined cookie sheet
Lightly brush the top of each muffin with a bit of oil
Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until slightly brown on top

Quick notes
I used Nature's Hollow Xylitol Honey, regular honey may be a bit sweeter so start with 1/4 cup or less.

Variations
You could substitute the walnuts for almonds or any other nut.

These are fantastic right out of the oven and just as fantastic the next day when they are even more moist. Throw them under the broiler to reheat and top with a little butter, yum!!!

Kate's Healthy Cupboard - Gluten Free Recipes

Grain Free Thin Pancakes

January 21, 2012 Kate

Thin pancakes were a childhood favorite. Our neighbor Patty Jo gave my mom this recipe and it was used so often in our home. I remember my mom making them for breakfast every time we had sleepovers as kids. We would slap on butter, sugar, powdered sugar, syrup or a little bit of everything. Roll them up or fold them over so they were thick enough to cut and grab with a fork. Many people would say these were like crepes, but to me they will forever be thin pancakes.

I make the original recipe a lot for Tom and every time he says, "these are so damn good!" I don't know how they couldn't be with all the butter, powdered sugar and syrup he has them soaking in! I am always drooling over his plate just enjoying the smell since I can't have them. Well now I can!!! I have finally come up with a recipe that is grain free and has a similar texture and taste. The extra bonus is that they are full of protein and dairy free too! I certainly eat mine a little different than I did as a kid, but I enjoy them just as much! I like these as a sweet treat, but these could easily be savory with egg, ham and cheese or many other variations.

Recipe: Grain Free Thin Pancakes

Ingredients
2 large eggs
2 Tbsp coconut oil or butter, melted (I used refined, virgin will give a coconut flavor if that's desired)
3/4 cup almond flour
1 Tbsp coconut flour
1/2 cup plain egg white protein
2 1/2 cups non-dairy milk (I used vanilla unsweetened coconut milk, almond would be great too)

Instructions
Beat eggs and 1 cup of milk until smooth
Add flours, protein powder, oil or butter and additional milk and continue to beat until smooth
Heat an oiled skillet over medium to medium high heat
Pour 1/4-1/2 cup (depending on small or large skillet) batter in to pan and swirl around
Once the batter on top looks like it's set, flip the pancake. That side should be a bit brown
Cook until the other side is brown
Add your toppings or syrup and roll, fold or leave flat

Variations
If you want a more savory "crepe", use a plain unflavored milk.
Use vanilla flavored egg white protein if you want more of a vanilla taste.
Quick Notes
Makes 12 small or 6 large pancakes. I keep the batter in the fridge and make them as I want or you can make them all and store in a bag in the fridge to be warmed up later.

I like to eat mine with Nature's Hollow Maple Syrup made from Xylitol. My almond coconut spread with bananas or strawberries and a little chocolate drizzle would be delicious too! Get creative and let us know what your favorite way to fill these grain free treats!

Sweet Potato Biscuit Bites

January 3, 2012 Kate

Working on my photo skills with the oh so old camera I am using. You can tell that this photo is not that great, but will have to work. The problem is the lighting needs to be perfect and these tasty treats didn't last much longer than a day so I only had one photo opportunity!

Recipe: Sweet Potato Biscuit Bites

Ingredients
1 cup sweet potatoes (mashed, roughly 1 medium)
1 egg
1 tbsp arrowroot powder
2 3/4 cups almond flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tbsp fresh chopped rosemary
1/2 tbsp fresh chopped basil
Oil for brushing the tops of biscuits (coconut or macadamia nut)
Coarse celtic sea salt

Instructions
Bake the potatoes until soft
Peel them and mash with a ricer or in a mixer until clumps are gone
Whisk the egg and yolk in a bowl and add to the potatoes
Add in the flour, arrowroot, baking soda and seasonings and mix well. I think it's easiest to knead with your hands
Form a ball with the dough. It may be sticky, but do the best you can and leave in the bowl
Refrigerate for a couple hours or over night
Remove half the dough from bowl with oiled hands
Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to place the dough on a greased cookie sheet
Brush a tiny amount of oil on the tops of each biscuit
Pinch coarse sea salt over them
Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes

Variations
You can substitute the rosemary and basil for other herbs.

This recipe got my creativity going! I'm working on some more grain- free, gluten free biscuits bites that will be sweet and savory!