Gluten-Free Blueberry 'n Banana Flax Muffins

Blueberries are not in season until the summer, so as we wait for them to ripen to perfection, we can rely on frozen blueberries for just about the same nutrition and taste. There are some really good organic frozen blueberries available at the stores these days and they won't set you back any more than a box of out-of-season fresh blueberries. Blueberries are incredibly high in antioxidants and are packed with essential vitamins as well as a healthy dose of dietary fiber. Studies show that blueberries have the highest antioxidant levels when compared to other fruits and vegetables. They even contain more antioxidant power than a glass of red wine. Now I'm not saying choose blueberries over red wine, I'm just presenting the facts. It seems pretty clear that the best way to go is a handful of blueberries in the left and a glass of Cab in the right.

Now about this muffin recipe. I saw a gluten-free muffin recipe on wholefoods.com and used that as the starting point, particularly to help with the ingredient proportions. Here's the original:http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/2031. I basically just swapped out the brown sugar, oil, and buttermilk. Oh, and no currants in this recipe. We are using blueberries, of course, and double the amount! Though gluten-free flours tend to not rise much and can result in dense baked goods, you will be so pleasantly surprised at how puffy and light these muffins look and taste. They are high in protein and fiber thanks to the brown rice/buckwheat flours and ground flaxseed. Brown rice syrup and a little touch of honey give sweetness without a sugar rush; applesauce, a banana and a little water take the place of oil and buttermilk. Frozen blueberries add the perfect amount of tartness to each bite, and a good pinch of cinnamon mellows out the flavors and "warms up" the whole thing. A great grab-n-go breakfast! 

When we first moved to Sayville, I was so happy to discover , the natural foods store on Main Street. They have a wonderful selection of items and carry lots of gluten-free ingredients for those who are not able to eat gluten or for those who occasionally like to give their body a break from it now and again. If you haven’t been to Cornucopia before, these muffins are a great reason to stop by, browse around, sip on a fresh juice from the cafe in the back, and pick up a few of the ingredients to get baking! I would love to hear what you think of the recipe, so if you try it out please post back your thoughts!

Gluten-Free Blueberry 'n Banana Flax Muffins

makes 12 muffins

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup buckwheat flour
• 3/4 cup brown rice flour
• 1/2 cup ground flaxseed meal
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup frozen blueberries
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup brown rice syrup
• 1 Tbs. honey
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 ripe banana, mashed

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare muffin tin with either non-stick spray, light coating of butter, or paper liners. In a medium bowl, add all of the dry ingredients (flours, flaxseed, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt). Whisk together to combine. Stir in the blueberries. In a large bowl, add all of the "wet" ingredients (eggs, brown rice syrup, honey, applesauce, water, and mashed banana). Whisk together to combine. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir gently just until the two are incorporated; avoid overmixing. Spoon the muffin mix into the muffin tins and bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a fork comes out clean. 20 minutes seems to be perfect for me, but it will vary based on your oven. Once done, leave in the pan to cool for 5 minutes and then let cool completely on a wire rack.