Gluten Free Apple Zucchini Muffins

Sometimes gluten free muffins turn out dry and crumbly, but not these Apple Zucchini Muffins!  The name says it all, these muffins are loaded with little bites of apple and zucchini that you can see and taste.  They keep the crumb nice and moist too.  And what a great way to sneak fruits and veggies into your breakfast!

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Dry Ingredients:

  • 180 g. gluten free all-purpose flour (I used Better Batter Original blend)
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp. ginger
  • 1/8 tsp. cardamom
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/8 tsp. baking powder

Wet Ingredients:

  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup softened butter
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 2 cups apple and zucchini, chopped
  • 1/4 cup ricotta
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp. melted butter, for finishing

Preparation:

Mist a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray and preheat the oven to 400º.

Use an electric chopper or a knife to mince the apples and zucchini into 1/4″ pieces.

Whisk the dry ingredients together in one bowl.  In a second bowl whisk together the wet ingredients.

Stir the wet and dry ingredients together until thoroughly moistened, then let the batter rest for 15 minutes.

Fill the prepared muffin cups.  I wanted my muffins to be a little larger, so I made 9.  The recipe will make 12 if you portion the muffin cups 2/3 full.

Smooth out the tops with a spatula dipped in water and bake for 20-23 minutes depending on size.  Test the center with a toothpick.

Brush the muffins with melted butter for a nice shine, then cool in the pan for 20 minutes.  Transfer to a rack.

Look at that beautiful moist crumb!

Muffins can be stored at room temperature for up to one day or frozen.  My prediction is that they will disappear before you have to worry about it!

Notes ♪♫ I adapted this recipe from a quick bread that I used to make pre-Celiac.  It worked beautifully with gluten free flour, and as always, I recommend Better Batter.  I used their Original Blend, perfect for all your favorite muffins and quick breads.

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Gluten Free Carrot Cake Pancakes

Take your pancake breakfast to the next level with Gluten Free Carrot Cake Pancakes!  These pancakes have all the flavors of a carrot cake cleverly disguised as breakfast.  The recipe is not difficult and would be a wonderful treat for a special occasion or brunch.  Wouldn’t this be fun for Easter morning?

Yield: 9 pancakes

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Ingredients:

  • 240 g. gluten free pancake mix (2 cups)
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp. cloves
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup milk (I used 2%)
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • butter, for the griddle

Topping:

  • maple syrup
  • Cream cheese
  • Vanilla Greek yogurt
  • ground walnuts
  • grated carrots

Preparation:

I used a box grater to shred my carrots on the medium setting.  My grater has a little measuring cup that fits into the bottom, so you can measure as you go.  Be sure to reserve a tablespoon of the carrots for the topping.

To get started, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves and whisk well.  Then, in a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk.  Stir the wet and dry ingredients together and fold in the carrots.

Let the batter rest for 10 minutes while you heat your griddle or skillet.  Spoon the batter by heaping tablespoons, about 2 tablespoons per pancake.

I used my waffle maker to cook the pancakes.  It has a pancake plate with 4 wells.  I heated it to 350º and brushed the wells with butter.

The pancakes are ready to turn when you can easily slide a spatula underneath.  Mine took some time, almost 10 minutes on the first side, and less than 5 minutes for the second side.  Remember, gluten free pancakes and waffles always take longer to cook than regular.

You can poke the pancakes with a toothpick to be sure they’re done, then serve or place them on a rack to cool.

Toppings are optional, but I wanted to echo the carrot cake theme.  So, I mashed together a little cream cheese with vanilla Greek yogurt, then finished with a drizzle of maple syrup and a sprinkle of walnuts and carrots.

Wow that was good!  You probably won’t have any leftover, but if you do, remember they can be frozen and reheated in the toaster or microwave.  I wrapped my leftovers individually in plastic wrap and placed them in a freezer safe bag labelled with the date.  They will keep for a couple of months, but I’m sure they will disappear long before then!

Notes ♪♫ You know I love Better Batter and always tell you how wonderful their flour is.  But did you know they also have mixes?  I used their Gluten Free Pancake and Biscuit Mix in this recipe, and it did not disappoint.  The pancakes are delicious and sure to be enjoyed by your family or your special someone.

Adapted from Taste of Home

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Gluten Free Zucchini and Prosciutto Quiche

Making a gluten free quiche has been on my recipe bucket list for a long time.  This week I finally did it!  The filling is a savory blend of zucchini, prosciutto, mushrooms and Gruyere cheese.  I still can’t believe how tasty it was.

Of course, the foundation of a good quiche is the pie crust.  If you missed my earlier post on how to make an easy, gluten free pie crust you can check it out here.

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Ingredients:

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350º.

Roll your pie dough into a circle, using your pie dish as a guide.  You want the dough to fit into the pie dish with a little extra to fold under and crimp.

Carefully lift the dough and place in your pie dish.

Trim the excess (can be used to patch any cracks or holes), fold the edges under and crimp.

Because the filling is made with heavy, wet ingredients, you will need to blind bake (pre-bake) the crust for 10 minutes to keep it from getting soggy.  Be sure to weigh down the crust down to keep the bottom from puffing up.  You can cover the crust with parchment and use beans or pie weights.  Or you can try this gadget, it works like a charm and it’s so easy to remove and clean!

While the crust is baking prepare the filling.  Cut the zucchini and mushrooms into thin slices and chop the whites of the scallions into 1/4″ pieces.  Grate the cheese and tear the prosciutto into small pieces.

Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a nonstick skillet, add all of the veggies and sprinkle with seasoning.

Cook the veggies until they have released their liquid and reduced to about 1 cup.  Transfer to a colander to cool and drain.

Take the partially cooked pie crust out of the oven after 10 minutes and remove the pie weight.

To finish the filling, beat the eggs and milk.  Stir in the drained veggies, 3/4 cup of cheese and the prosciutto.  Add about 8 grinds of fresh ground pepper.

Pour the filling into the prepared crust and top with the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese.

Place the quiche on the center rack of your oven.  I put a cookie sheet underneath, to keep the bottom from getting over cooked.  Bake for 45-50 minutes, until the top is set, and edges of the crust are well browned.

Let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing.

Notes ♪♫ We had this quiche for dinner, and reheated leftovers for lunch the next day.  Like any pie, the number of servings will depend on your appetite, somewhere between 4-8 wedges.  It was delicious and would be an amazing addition to your brunch menu!

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Gluten Free Apple Pie French Toast

My Apple Pie French Toast features warm spiced apples layered between slices of French Toast, topped with vanilla Greek yogurt, maple syrup and a dusting of cinnamon.  Breakfast or dessert?  You decide!

I used my Gluten Free Millet Bread in this recipe, it is an extra special cakelike bread that is perfect for making French Toast.  Of course, you can use store bought gluten free bread (I won’t tell!).

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2 servings

Ingredients:

  • 4 slices of gluten free bread
  • 2 eggs
  • 4 tbsp. milk
  • 1 small apple
  • 3 tbsp. butter, divided
  • 1 tbsp. brown sugar
  • vanilla Greek yogurt
  • maple syrup
  • cinnamon

Preparation:

Whisk together the eggs and milk, and sprinkle with cinnamon.  Soak the bread slices in the egg mixture for 15 minutes, turning occasionally.  Use 2 pans if needed to fit all of the slices.

Peel and dice the apples.  In a nonstick skillet, melt one tbsp. butter.  Add the apples and cook for several minutes, stirring frequently.  Sprinkle with cinnamon and 1 tbsp. brown sugar.  Continue cooking 2 more minutes, then keep warm.

In a larger nonstick skillet or griddle, melt 2 tbsp. butter.  Add the bread slices and cook 3 minutes per side.

To plate, layer one slice of French toast with apples, then top with a second slice.  Cut in half diagonally and stack one half over the other.  Top with more apples, and a scoop of vanilla yogurt.  Drizzle with maple syrup and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Look at that plate, breakfast fit for a king and queen!  Definitely a wonderful way to start your day!

Notes ♪♫ If you enjoyed this post, be sure to check out my Tiramisu Stuffed French Toast.  And I hope you will try my Gluten Free Millet Bread, you will love the soft, mildly sweet texture of this loaf for French Toast and sandwiches!

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Gluten Free Tiramisu Stuffed French Toast

Dessert for breakfast!  Take ordinary French Toast to the next level with a vanilla cream cheese stuffing that has hints of rum, espresso and chocolate.  This stunner of a recipe will be a special treat for you and the one you love. It’s easy to prepare, but for extra convenience the filling can be made the night before. 

Inspired by ©MARILYN’S TREATS Tiramisu French Toast

A recipe within a recipe, I started with a loaf of my homemade Gluten Free Millet BreadGet the recipe here.  It’s a soft, enriched gluten free bread with just a hint of sweetness, I always keep some on hand in the freezer for making French Toast!

From there, it’s an easy pan cooked French toast recipe, with a big finish of WOW from the cream cheese filling, that is positively divine!

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Breakfast for two

Ingredients:

—————————

  • 4 tbsp. cream cheese, softened
  • 4 tbsp. vanilla Greek yogurt
  • 2 tsp. sugar (or stevia)
  • 1 tsp. rum (or 1/2 tsp. rum extract)
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract

—————————

Preparation:

Whisk together the stuffing ingredients (softened cream cheese through vanilla extract) until smooth and lump free.  You can prepare this the day before and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, espresso powder and sugar.  Dip the bread (one slice at a time) into the egg wash.

Melt butter in a large, nonstick skillet and cook the bread slices until browned on both sides.

Layer the filling between 2 slices of French Toast.

Slice diagonally and stack pieces one over the other.  Combine powdered sugar and cocoa powder and sift over the top.

Drizzle with real maple syrup.

What do you think friends, does this plate say love???  Perfect for brunches, Valentine’s Day or just an amazing breakfast for your someone special

Notes ♪♫ Originally titled Tiramisu French Toast, this recipe was adapted from the blog of Marilyn Lesniak a/k/a ©MARILYN’S TREATS.  Marilyn’s blog is no longer active, but over the years she has inspired many a cook with her creativity in the kitchen.  I hope my readers will enjoy this gluten free adaptation of her recipe.  Marilyn, thank you for the inspiration!

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Homemade Breakfast Sausage Patties

Homemade Breakfast Sausage Patties are the bomb!  I always say homemade is best, but why would you go to the trouble of making your own sausage patties?  For starters, you control the fat, you control the salt, no chemicals, no nitrites, no preservatives, NO GLUTEN!  And with no casings needed they are easy to make.  You can buy gluten free breakfast sausage seasoning or make your own.  Experiment with different spice combinations to find the one you like best.  Be sure to use real maple syrup.  For years I purchased breakfast sausage links at the supermarket, but not any more!

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Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. ground pork
  • 1 lb. ground turkey
  • 2 tbsp. homemade gluten free sausage seasoning (see below)
  • 4 tbsp. maple syrup
  • fresh thyme sprigs, for garnish

Sausage Seasoning:

  • 1 tsp. salt (use less if limiting salt)
  • 2 tsp. sugar
  • 1 tsp. paprika
  • 1 tsp. black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp. cayenne
  • 1/2 tsp. sage
  • 1/2 tsp. thyme
  • 1/2 tsp. ground fennel
  • 1/2 tsp. ground coriander

OR use a purchased Sausage Seasoning

Preparation:

Combine the pork and turkey in a large bowl and blend together lightly with 2 forks.  Don’t compress the meat.  Of course you can use all pork or all turkey, but I found that blending equal amounts of each gives a good balance of flavor and fat.

Drizzle in the maple syrup and sprinkle the seasoning a little at a time.  With each addition, use the forks to thoroughly incorporate.

Line a baking sheet with wax paper.  Scoop the mixture into 2 oz. balls, then gently press into patties.  You will have about 15 total.

Prepare the patties and refrigerate one day ahead for a brunch.  The patties will keep for several months in the freezer.  You can freeze them on the baking sheet then transfer to a freezer safe bag.  They are great to have on hand to enjoy on the weekend.

Cook sausage patties 5 minutes per side in a nonstick skillet.  For a nice presentation, I like to garnish the patties with fresh thyme sprigs.

Add some homemade goodness to your family breakfast table with this easy recipe.  If you enjoyed this post, check out some of my favorite brunch ideas to feed a family or a crowd!

Notes ♪♫  Always check ingredient labels for hidden gluten.  Seasoning blends are convenient, but if you are limiting salt make your own!

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