Recipe for Gluten-Free Muffins

Ingredients
(Please see important commentary at END of recipe before beginning!)
- 2 eggs (can use egg beaters*)
- 1 cup milk (can use soy)
- 1/4 cup oil or melted shortening (I've used "vegetable" and olive)
- 1 1/2 cups cornmeal
- 1/2 cup white rice flour (you could use brown rice flour, if you prefer)
- 1/4 cup tapioca or potato starch (or any super-fine flour)
- 1/4 cup of a "heavier" gluten-free flour (soy, garbanzo, millet, papad, etc.)
- 1 tablespoon sweet rice flour
- 1 tablespoon EITHER guar gum OR xanthan gum (if you absolutely don't have these, increase the sweet rice to 2T)
- 2 tablespoons flax seed (optional)
- 1/4 cup sugar (**)
- 2 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 to 1C fruit, chopped very fine (if you are using a fruit with a lot of liquid, such as strawberries, decrease the amount of milk slightly).
- Depending on what fruit you use, you may want to add 1/2 tsp of vanilla OR a pinch of cinnamon and allspice OR a brown sugar topping to your muffins.
- Nonstick cooking spray, oil spritzer, oil or shortening (to grease muffin tins)

Directions

1. Assemble all ingredients. Note two things: First, the list is long but these are rather easy to make once you've done it once. I always tossed things in a mixing bowl from memory. Secondly, the rice flour, tapioca/potato, "heavier" flour, sweet rice, xanthan and flax ingredients can be pre-mixed in large quantities (similar proportions) and used as a rough equivalent to all-purpose flour for most recipes. So although I've listed each item out here for those who don't do much of this cooking, in reality many celiacs can simply dip into their canister of "AP Flour", thus making this a much shorter recipe.

2. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Grease muffin tins. Alternatively, make a coffee cake by greasing an 8 or 9 inch pan.

3. Mix the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Do not over-mix. Do note that if you've never cooked gluten-free before, many of these flours have a peculiar pre-cooked smell and they don't behave like wheat flour. Don't worry about it!

4. Fill the muffin cups to between 1/2 and 3/4 full.

5. Bake at 450 for 20 minutes. Check for doneness with a toothpick. Depending on the type of flour you used, it may need a minute or two longer.

Important Commentary
Celiac Disease affects people worldwide and is a growing problem in the United States. Many more people, though not celiac, must deal with food allergies. God created us hungry - we must eat to live. Those with allergies live in constant fear of eating the wrong thing. Please support legislation that enforces the ACCURATE labeling of ALL foods!

About this recipe: Egg beaters can be used to replace the "real" eggs. I've never tried replacing the eggs with flax seeds in this particular recipe, but have done so successfully in similar recipes. I don't know why the technique wouldn't work, but can't guarantee the results by any means. I have never used anything other than sugar to make these muffins. I did use maple syrup once; they did not rise well. I'm not positive if that was because of the syrup or if something was wrong with my baking powder, though. As you can see, this is an EXTREMELY customizable recipe as far as the flours go - I have probably eaten a hundred variations of it. I always have made it with whatever is on hand. The cornmeal is the core ingredient, but I've even made it without that - just adding a comparable-weight flour in its place (garbanzo).

If you are newly diagnosed, or even if you've been around the block for a while, you might be having a hard time finding these ingredients. The best places I found were Indian and Oriental groceries. I shop at a small store called Kashish (in Greensboro, NC) where you can buy virtually any sort of flour, plus they sell basmati rice at an unbelievably low price. You can also buy these flours at most food co-ops and health food stores. They will also carry the guar gum, xanthan gum, and flax seed (always refrigerate flax seeds - don't buy them if they've not been refrigerated). Often, the folks at your local health food store can be helpful to you as you learn to cook gluten-free because it's a question they get a lot!

I hope you enjoy this recipe!