Gluten-Free Banana Mini-Muffins

Sweet little mini-muffins with big banana taste.

Sweet Morsels

Week four began Monday. My month of soft foods only is slowly winding down. I can feel the diet working, spinning its soothing magic and calming this burning monkey gut of mine with scoops of mashed potato and spoonfuls of slow cooked soups between doses of kitten cuteness and favorite comedies. My medicine has been a stew of Protonix, Culturelle, baby food, and laughing as much as possible.

I'm a big believer in the healing power of a hearty guffaw.

But I'd be lying if I didn't confess I crave texture and crunch like there's no tomorrow. Who wouldn't? After four plus weeks of nothing more al dente than a boiled rice noodle, I am sorry to tell you I wake up dreaming of potato chips. I miss the nutty terrain of a pecan cracker. The sexy chewy center of  a chocolate chip cookie. 

This yearning has not gone unnoticed.

Steve has been pondering my dearth of oral satisfaction. And always one to roll up his sleeves and pitch in, he started  rummaging around the kitchen, imagining something I could eat- without repercussion. A treat soft enough to comply with my diet's rules. A go-between bite nestled somewhere in the middle of hot buttered toast (not allowed) and pureed pumpkin (allowed, but so dead boring).  

And thus the mini-banana muffin was born. A petite friendly bite of moist banana goodness. Not overwhelmed by cinnamon (off limits). Not studded with nuts (emphatic no-nos!). Just simple, clean, honest banana taste.

In a darling, non-pointy vegan parcel.

Simplicity. In bite size.

Simple Banana Mini-Muffins - A Gluten-Free Recipe

By Karina Allrich

We did not add any spices to this recipe. The fresh banana taste is the star. Sometimes unadorned is what you crave. These babies are simple and very kid-friendly.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a mini-muffin pan and dust with a whisper of sorghum flour, or line with mini-muffin liners.

In a large bowl, mix:

1 cup mashed ripe bananas

1 cup organic light brown sugar

1/4 cup light olive oil

1 tablespoon bourbon vanilla extract

Ener-G Egg Replacer for 2 eggs mixed with 1/4 cup warm water  till frothy or use 2 organic free-range eggs

1/4 teaspoon lemon juice or mild rice vinegar

Whisk together in a separate bowl:

1 cup sorghum flour

1/2 cup potato starch (not potato flour!) or tapioca starch

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

Instructions:

Add the dry ingredients into the wet banana mixture and beat until blended. If the batter is too thick, add a little non-dairy rice milk, a tablespoon at a time, until the batter is smooth. The batter will be a bit thicker than cake batter.

Spoon the batter into the prepared mini muffin cups and bake in the center of a preheated oven for about 10 minutes, up to 15 minutes, if necessary. The muffins should be firm to the touch, and a wooden pick inserted into the center should emerge clean.

Cool the muffins briefly in the pan; then turn them out of the pan to keep them from getting soggy; continue to cool on a wire rack or serve warm.

Wrap leftover muffins; bag and freeze for easy on-the-go mini-treats. Reheat briefly in a microwave, to thaw and warm, if you wish. 

Yields 34 to 36 mini-muffins.

Notes:

Add a dash of nutmeg and cinnamon, if you like a hint of spice.