Double Chocolate Muffins

There are mornings when I cannot get my 3-year-old, Camden to be interested in breakfast and other days when he asks for something to eat right away. Today was one of the days where he asked for something. He of course wanted "chocolate muffins" of all things. These are really decadent but I don't feel too guilty serving them because Camden does not get to indulge in the cookies, breads, muffins and cakes that are so abundant at every social event and even served at daycare.


1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup teff flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup tapioca starch
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp xanthan gum or 2 tsp glucomannan powder
3 heaping Tbsp. cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
1 cup milk (can sub rice, almond or hemp milk)
1 tsp white vinegar
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
Mix wet ingredients together in a medium bowl.
Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix until just blended.
Stir in chocolate chips.
Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper muffin cups and fill.
Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Variation: Bake in a mini-muffin pan. (bake time will be shorter)

Gluten-Free Granola

Lately I have been feeling very envious of my husband's artisan granola. Since it is not made with gluten-free oats, I cannot indulge. I started thinking about how easy it would be to make my own granola and that I probably even have all the essential ingrediets already in my pantry. I researched granola recipes and realized that making granola has a lot of flexibility. I invented this recipe based on what I had in my pantry and what I thought would suit my personal tastes. But you can totally change this up however you want. Just watch that it doesn't get over-browned. I was babysitting the morning I made this and got hung up changing a diaper and entertaining the 3-year-olds and mine got just a little more toasted than I would have liked. But still the yummy sweet crunchiness I was craving!

4 cups gluten-free oats
1 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 cup chopped almonds
1/2 cup chopped pecans (or other nuts of choice)
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup ground flax seed
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup applesauce
1 cup chopped dried fruit (such as papaya)
1/2 cup craisins
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup banana chips, broken in pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients together and make sure to break up any brown sugar lumps. Whisk together the canola oil, maple syrup and applesauce and add to the oat mixture. Make sure to coat all of the dry ingredients with the wet. Spread into a very large roasting pan and roast in the oven until lightly browned. Stir every 10 minutes during cooking to ensure even browning. Cool for 10 minutes then stir in dried fruit, craisins, raisins and banana chips. Cool completely, then store in an airtight container.

What joy food brings!

Delicious food can work magic on us. On a cold wet day, food can provide comfort and warmth. When we are sick, food can be medicine. When we want to celebrate, we can express joy through cooking and eating together. There is something so intriguing about this magic that has always captured my interest. I want to make that magic happen. Sometimes it is spontaneous. The best dishes are often created by using whatever is left in the fridge that needs to get used up. Sometimes a new dish is created by extensive research. I may have an idea of what I want to make, but not know exactly how to make it or all the seasonings and ingredients. I will look up many versions of the recipe online, read hundreds of comments from other cooks, and then I will start to design my own recipe according to my own tastes and nutritional needs. Whatever the process, when the magic happens, it brings me joy.

I am not sure that I would be so joyful about creative cooking if there were no one to share the fruits of my labor with. Occasionally, I will truly enjoy a dish I’ve made only for myself. But I don’t think that the experience would be so enjoyable if no one was ever going to taste my food. If I were alone on the planet, I don’t think the experience would be the same. There is something magical about the sharing of good food and good drink amongst good company. A convivial atmosphere sparks the alchemical reaction of transmuting food into joy!

Ready to Start my Life at Age 40!

I recall from my youth that women's lives seemed to be over at 40. There was always that dreaded "4-0" birthday approaching. Women were considered old and over-the-hill upon reaching this milestone.

Things have changed since then, thank goodness. As I approach my 40th birthday in a few weeks, I am getting ready to celebrate. After being gluten-free for a year now, I am finally ready to LIVE!

Without going too much into the depressing details, suffice it to say that I have suffered on multiple levels from undiagnosed Celiac disease for the majority of my life. I have still managed to accomplish quite a bit, but have always felt that something was holding me back. I have researched, fought and struggled to discover the answer or cure for my ailments so that I can finally live up to my potential. My goal is to feel 40 and fabulous on my birthday and wipe the slate clean of all the Ghosts from Gluten's Past!