Bring a basket of old–fashioned banana nut muffins to your breakfast table and watch them disappear. They are a delicious way to start the morning, and they smell heavenly while baking in the oven. Even if you didn’t think you were a banana bread lover, this simple, flavorful recipe will convert you. Loaded with ripe bananas and sweet walnuts, these muffins are full of vitamin B, vitamin C, potassium, dietary fiber, and omega–3 fatty acids. They take just a few minutes to make and they keep well in the refrigerator and freezer so you can enjoy them for several days, or even weeks after you make them. Annalise Roberts

Makes 12 muffins or three 5 x 3–inch loaves

2 cups Brown Rice Flour Mix (see below)
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 packed cup very ripe chopped banana  (about 2 medium bananas)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, optional
2 large eggs
1/2 cup milk (or rice milk)
1/2 cup canola oil
Granulated sugar for garnish, optional

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Position rack in center of oven. Grease muffin pan with cooking spray (or three 5 x 3 -inch loaf pans).

2. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, salt and cinnamon in large mixing bowl. Add bananas and walnuts; stir to coat evenly.

3. Combine milk and oil in small bowl; remove 1 tablespoon of combined liquid and discard it. Beat in eggs. Add liquids to banana mixture and stir until just blended.

4. Fill muffin pans 2/3 full. Bake 18–25 minutes until golden brown (35–44 minutes for loaf pans). Remove from pan and serve immediately or cool on a rack.

Cook’s notes: Muffins and bread can be stored in a tightly sealed plastic container in refrigerator or covered with plastic wrap and then with foil, and stored in freezer for up to three weeks.

Best when eaten within three days of baking. Re-warm briefly in microwave.

Brown Rice Flour Mix
2 cups extra finely ground brown rice flour, 2/3 cup potato starch (not potato flour), 1/3 cup tapioca starch/flour. It is very important that you use an extra finely ground brown rice flour, (and not just any grind) or the muffins will be gritty and heavy. Authentic Foods in California and King Arthur Flour Company make a good one.

For more Food Philosopher’s® Gluten-Free recipes go to: www.foodphilosopher.com.

© 2008 by Annalise Roberts

Annalise Roberts – Annalise is one of the Food Philosophers®, two sisters who have collaborated to become a voice of reason in a world of mealtime disorder. After being diagnosed with celiac disease in 2002, Annalise devoted herself to developing gluten-free baking recipes that taste just as good (if not better than) their wheat flour counterparts. Gourmet magazine featured several of her recipes in their November, 2005 issue. An expanded and revised edition of her best-selling book, Gluten-Free Baking Classics, was released in September 2008. Gluten-Free Baking Classics for the Bread Machine, a collection of recipes developed for the Zojirushi bread machine came next. Annalise and her sister, Claudia Pillow then joined forces to write The Gluten-Free-Good Health Cookbook, (released January 2010). The focus of this unique work is on managing daily food-related decisions in order to strengthen the immune system, prevent disease and lose weight by eating real food. It provides food choice explanations and guidance, cooking advice, and more than 100 flavorful, culturally diverse (gluten-free) recipes. Annalise works with gluten-intolerant individuals and support groups across North America and teaches gluten-free cooking and baking classes in the New York metropolitan area. She loves to cook and entertain and as a result, spends a lot of time on a treadmill and doing weight resistance training. But she is also careful about what she eats, tries to balance alkaline and acid based foods, and drinks a couple quarts of water a day.

Tina Turbin
www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

Kendall Conrad has done a lovely job of recreating her gourmet recipes and customizing them to suit the principles which healed her child’s body- More Than 150 Delicious Specific Carbohydrate Diet(TM)-Compliant Recipes.

Author Kendall Conrad was faced with the fact that her youngest child’s gut and immune system had been severely compromised after her first ten months of life after being on many antibiotics to address severe ear infections. Her daughter finally needed surgery to drain her ears at only ten months old, which did resolve the ear troubles, but she was left with digestive troubles, wasn’t thriving, and wasn’t absorbing nutrients. Conrad spent a year visiting many doctors to no avail.

Conrad was introduced to a nutritionist who introduced her to the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, which eliminated virtually all starch and complex sugars. The result was that her daughter began to grow and feel much better. She is now a thriving healthy child.

This cookbook and its detailed introduction shares many aspects of the Specific Carbohydrate Diet’s effects on many people with Crohn’s disease, celiac disease, ulcerative colitis,  IBS, diverticulitis, and other digestive conditions—to incredible results.

The recipes in Kendall’s book are gourmet in every sense of the word, and your family and guests will have no clue that each one of them is a strict adherent to the SCD.

This cookbook is given a thumbs up and is HIGHLY recommended by me.
Tina Turbin
www.glutenfreehelp.info

(I am not paid or given any incentive to write one way or the other. What you are about to read is from me to you, my honest opinion.)

Robb Dorf, founder and CEO had a vision and he’s now fulfilled it.  His 5 bars are all gluten-free and tested to the standards any celiac can appreciate.

PureFit’s 2 oz bars have 18 grams of protein, are low glycemic as well as vegan.

He has his products all made in a dedicated facility, tested through avenues of CSA, yet he’s quick to mention GIG and CDF all helped him to get to where he is today – and others.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Robb supports many celiac groups, attends many expos, donates to numerous meetings, conferences and is well thought of not only in the sports arena but nutritional and celiac arena as well.

These nutritious packed gluten-free bars are loaded with their own unique flavors and I loved them all.

I was also pleased to find out that the only bar with oats, the PureFit Granola Crunch comes with certification of dedicated gluten-free oats.

Robb Dorf is on top of it!  Not a celiac himself, he cares and understands a celiac’s needs and why and will not lower his standards.

Thank you Robb for an exceptional product and your offers:  for every friend you recommend who orders Pure Fit, you’ll receive a box sent to your door.  For every store you get to carry PureFit, Robb’s company will send you 4 boxes of PureFit bars!

This food company is given a thumbs up and is HIGHLY recommended by me.

Tina Turbin

www.glutenfreehelp.info

Ingredients

Makes about 16 bars

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 3/4 cups gluten-free quick-cooking oatmeal
• 1 1/4 cups gluten-free crisp-rice cereal
• 1/2 cup mini gluten-free semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup lightly packed light-brown sugar
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup honey

Simple Directions

1. Spray an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray; line baking sheet with parchment paper, leaving a 1-inch overhang on all sides. Set aside.
2. Place oatmeal and rice cereal in a large bowl; stir to combine. Set aside.
3. In a medium saucepan, mix together brown sugar, oil, and honey. Place over medium-high heat; bring to a gentle boil. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove from heat and add to oatmeal mixture; stir until oatmeal mixture is fully coated and well combined.
4. Evenly pour oatmeal mixture into prepared baking dish; sprinkle with chocolate chips. When mixture is cool enough to touch, press down into pan. Let cool to room temperature. Cut into 16 (1-by-4-inch) bars. Granola bars can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 1 week, and frozen up to six months.

Alana was happy to share her recipe with Martha Stewart on April 29th live, helping to increase awareness for Celiac disease. Watch the review video now.

Tina Turbin

MAKES 1 LOAF (ABOUT 12 SLICES)
To make a great base for hors d’oeuvres, cut this loaf into thin slices, spread on a baking sheet, and toast in the oven at 350°F for 5 to 10 minutes. The resulting crackers are great with goat cheese, drizzled with a good cold-pressed olive oil, or spread with fig tapenade (find the recipe on my blog).

3/4 cup creamy roasted almond butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon agave nectar
1/4 cup blanched almond flour
1/4 cup arrowroot powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 7 by 3-inch loaf pan with grapeseed oil and dust with almond flour.
In a large bowl, mix the almond butter and olive oil with a handheld mixer until smooth, then blend in the eggs and agave nectar. In a medium bowl, combine the almond flour, arrowroot powder, salt, and baking soda. Blend the almond flour mixture into the wet ingredients until thoroughly combined, then fold in the olives and rosemary. Pour the batter into the loaf pan.
Bake for 45 to 55 minutes on the bottom rack of the oven, until a knife inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Let the bread cool in the pan for 1 hour, then serve.

Tina Turbin

Enter the Gluten-Free Giveaway: Elana Amsterdam is generously donating 3 of her the GLUTEN-FREE ALMOND FLOUR cookbooks!  Deadline: April 1 – 17th.

“Reprinted with permission from The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook: Breakfasts, Entrées, and More. Copyright © 2009 by Elana Amsterdam, Celestial Arts, an imprint of Ten Speed Press, a division of the Crown Publishing Group, Berkeley, CA. Photo credit: Annabelle Breakey.”

Author Bruce Fife has done a tremendous job in researching and writing an informative book and cookbook in one, all about coconut flour, replacing wheat and all grains in each recipe with only coconut flour!

Coconut flour is ground coconut that’s been defatted and dehydrated which results in a wheat-like texture. He shows us how coconut flour is simply and successfully used in place of other flours to make all our “usual” baked goods—bar none.

Any celiac or anyone on a gluten-free diet or with food allergies can safely eat and enjoy the delicious recipes he includes in his cookbook. The goods come out of the oven light, soft, and airy, fooling others into thinking they’re eating a white flour concoction.

Cooking with Coconut Flour shares many nutritional details showing the health benefits as well as the good taste and ease of cooking. Any unusual expectations you may have in using coconut flour in your own recipes are addressed, leaving you room to be creative with your own favorite recipes.

Bruce takes into account the concerns many have about the common high-carb, high-sugar gluten-free desserts. I’m pleased to say his recipes are low in sugar, lending more flavor to entire recipes. All I tested were absolutely delicious. My three favorites so far are the Tamale Pie, Cheese Puffs, and Chicken and Dumplings. It’s just amazing one can make such savory meals using only coconut flour.

I really can say I HIGHLY recommend this book. This cookbook and resource book is given a thumbs up all the way.
Tina Turbin
www.glutenfreehelp.info

We can all get quite tired of the basic egg recipes, pancakes and maybe some gluten-free toast for breakfast. Look no further. Lisa Bishop has authored an entire book devoted to not only gluten-free breakfast but the added step of a grain-free breakfast.
Many recipes are simply coconut flour, flax, or neither, or offer unusual ways to play with vegetables to make for example fake fried potatoes—with no potatoes!
This book is a real solution to the problems many grain-free dieters face. The difficulties of making crispy waffles, creamy cereals, or softy pillowy pancakes are all resolved.
Delicious breakfasts are at your fingertips with each presentation unlike the other. This book truly presents variety in every sense of the word.
Start your day out right—enjoy a home-cooked grain-free meal in Fun & Fabulous Grain-Free Breakfast Recipes.
This cookbook is given a thumbs up and is HIGHLY recommended by me.
Tina Turbin
www.glutenfreehelp.info

Fiber is necessary for us all and even more so for those on a GF diet. These crackers are full of protein, energy and fiber.

You do need a dehydrator to make these.

INGREDIENTS

7 cups date paste
1 cup flax (grind up ½ cup of this, and the other ½ leave whole)
2 cups filberts, crushed
1 ½ cups cashews, chopped
1 cup walnuts, chopped
OPTIONAL, 1/4 – 1/3 cup pineapple, pureed (optional – this extends dehydrating time)

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix all ingredients together.

2. Place flat on smooth dehydrating sheets.

3. Spread approximately 1/8” thick.

4. Flip over 10 hours later.

5. Continue dehydrating to your desired doneness.

You can make an egg-free version of this cake by replacing the eggs with flax gel. The cake’s texture will be denser and heavier but it will taste just as good. Enjoy it plain, with cream cheese frosting, jelly of your choice or top it with a dusting of powdered sugar.

This version has more protein and fiber than many other GF cakes.

Serves 12

INGREDIENTS

2½ cups Gluten-Free Flour Mix
1 cup quinoa flakes
2 teaspoons xanthan gum
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg (freshly grated, if available)
1½ sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter or dairy-free buttery spread, room
temperature
1½ cups light brown sugar, packed
3 large eggs or flax gel
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¾ cup low-fat buttermilk, vanilla soy milk or milk of choice
2 cups finely grated carrots
¾ cup chopped nuts, optional

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2. Lightly grease a 10 or 12-cup Bundt cake pan.

3. In a medium bowl, combine flour blend, quinoa flakes, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. Set aside.

4. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter until fluffy. Add brown sugar and beat until mixture is light and fluffy. Add eggs (or flax gel), one at a time, mixing well after adding each. Add vanilla and beat to combine.

5. On low speed, beat dry ingredients into butter mixture, alternating with buttermilk and ending with dry. Fold in carrots (and nuts, if used).

6. Spoon batter into your prepared pan, smoothing it out in the pan.

7. Place in preheated oven and bake 65 to 75 minutes or until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

8. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes and then invert onto a serving plate and cool completely.

9. Slice and enjoy!

OPTIONAL: You can make muffins and top with cream cheese frosting. Delicious! If making muffins, grease your muffin tins, fill ¾ full and check after 10 minutes in the oven. Frost when cool.