Banana Nut Muffins

Posted by Rachel

May 31, 2008

Today, I did what everyone does when the bananas turn more brown than yellow: I set out to make some sort of banana nut baked good. I decided on muffins, and, let me tell ya, these babies were a hit! They’re one of those things that you eat and you think to yourself, “Surely, there is no way I am allowed to eat this. I must be allergic to something in it.” But, my Dears, that isn’t the case with these little guys. It’s been such a wonderful feeling to be able to chow down on these moist, fluffy muffins without having to prepare myself for feeling like garbage for the next 3 days.

A lot of allergen free treats taste kinda…gritty, ya know? But, these muffins really don’t taste like a chalky knockoff. They taste like good ol’ fashioned, Betty-Crocker-and-White-Flour muffins. They make me so happy – I’ve already eaten three today. Even Luke, my man with no food allergies, has been sneaking little bites off of them all day. He’s not a big fan of rice flour because the texture is weird for him, but he doesn’t seem to be able to detect it in these…

Be forewarned, though: there is no cane sugar in these guys and very little agave nectar, so they are only mildly sweet. I (and my pancreas) happen to love this, but, admittedly, I have been dreaming of warming them up, slathering them in Earth Balance and squirting a big blob of honey right on top. I guess that wouldn’t be such a bad thing… right…?

Anyhow, I hope you guys enjoy these as much as I am. And, if you are allergic to nuts, feel free to omit the walnuts. Also, by day two these guys get pretty dense and hard. Try to eat them immediately, but if you have leftovers for a few days, pop them in the microwave for 20 seconds to soften them up. Enjoy!

BANANA NUT MUFFINS
makes a dozen muffins
recipe adapted from “The 125 Best Gluten Free Recipes”

1 1/4 cups brown rice flour
1/2 cup potato starch
1/4 cup tapioca starch
1/2 tsp. xanthan gum
1 tsp. GF baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. sea salt
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
3 super ripe bananas, peeled and mashed
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar (I like Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar)
1/4 cup walnut or vegetable oil
2 Tbs. ground flaxseed
5 Tbs. water
1/4 cup agave nectar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a muffin tin if it doesn’t have a non-stick surface. In a small bowl, stir together the flaxseed and 5 Tbs. of water. Allow the flax to soak in the water for at least 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, salt and walnuts. Set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together mashed bananas, agave nectar, vinegar, oil, and the flax/water mixture. Pour the banana mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Try very, very hard not to overmix this batter. Spoon batter into each cup of the prepped muffin tin. Let stand 30 minutes. Bake in preheated oven 15-20 minutes or until the tops are firm to the touch. Remove muffins from the tin and transfer to a wire rack to cool.

***If you would like to make this into a quick bread instead of muffins, pour the batter into a greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.***