Gingerbread Muffins. Vegan. GF.

Gingerbread Muffins. Vegan and Gluten Free by Knead to Cook.

Gingerbread Muffins that are vegan & gluten free.

Last Friday was just one of those pity-me days. We all have them. I felt like I was a ball of emotions. It was a hard week with my pin removal from my finger (this situation has been going on for over a year now). I couldn’t work out from Tuesday-Friday and I think I was going through a bit of withdrawal. I’m not that person but I think my emotions, frustrations and exhaustion got to me. God has a way of humbling and resetting you. Suffice it to say my poor husband suggested I run to Barnes and Noble and wander to get away from it all and that’s what I did! I picked up two new cookbooks. I was thrilled to find a gluten and dairy free baking cookbook for my daughter. She has been gf/df for about 8 months now with great success (she was suffering from cystic acne that is completely gone now).

This was the first recipe I scoped out and really wanted to make. Let’s face it – gluten free flours stink – a lot! I was leery but hopeful about this book. Cara Reed, in her cookbook, makes her own flour concoction and I bought everything and made a huge batch of it (all from Bob’s Redmill). From there the recipe was super easy and I made a few modifications along the way. I made 12 muffins yesterday – we have 2 left! Suffice it to say the carnivores and vegans alike loved them. And they will be awesome for the holidays! They tasted so good!!!
Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups of gluten free flour (see recipe below for the author’s combination of flours)
1/2 cup of either brown sugar (author used) but I used palm coconut sugar
2 tsp of baking powder
1 tsp of baking soda
1.5 tsp of ground ginger
2 tsp of ground cinnamon (she recommends 1 tsp)
1/4 tsp of nutmeg
1/2 tsp of salt

Wet ingredients:

3/4 cup of pumpkin puree
1/2 cup of vegetable oil (I used coconut oil)
1/2 cup of unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup of molasses

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and place your cup liners in your muffin pan. This recipe makes 12 muffins. Into your stand mixer, paddle attached, mix the dry ingredients. Then add your wet ingredients and blend until combined. Using a small scoop, fill each muffin cup 3/4 of the way filled. Bake for 20-24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool completely before serving. I notice this helps to keep gluten free breads/muffins together better.

*Recipe inspired from Decadent Gluten Free vegan Baking by Cara Reed.

Gluten free all-purpose flour blend:

3 cups of brown rice flour
3 cups of sorghum flour
1.5 potato starch, not flour
1.5 cup of arrowroot powder

Blend together and store in an airtight container or large ziploc baggie.

New week, new focus. As I mentioned yesterday, I’ve been enjoying being active again. Today, when I checked the weather, I was shocked that it was so warm – not knowing the humidity level. I threw my tank and shorts on – shocking for October and walked into a wall of humidity when I headed out the door at 5:30 a.m. It had just rained and stopped. It was so hard today. We all have those runs… ya know the ones where at mile 1 you think or WISH it was over? Yeah, that was today. I did 5 miles then took dog #1 for a walk. The walk was easier than the run. LOL.

Hope you are enjoying your day and here’s a thought for you…