Chapter 10

Beginning with Breakfast

In This Chapter

Making the most of mad-rush mornings

Egging on the day

Starting off with smoothies or pancakes

Enjoying muffin treats

W hether you’re a bacon-and-eggs-with-a-stack-of-toast hearty, a big-bowl-of-cereal devotee, or a black-coffee-and-sliver-of-toast type, breakfast usually comes loaded with gluten. So what are you supposed to do on the gluten-free diet? Dig in, that’s what! Yes, you can enjoy delicious traditional breakfast foods that may at first seem to be off-limits on the gluten-free diet.

But don’t be afraid to think beyond the old favourites. Smoothies are delicious and nutritious, eggs are truly versatile and muffins or drop scones make great alternatives to boring old bread. Use this chapter as inspiration for exploring alternatives to the old standby breakfast routines. When you start to think outside the breakfast box, you may discover a whole new world of wholesome gluten-free options to start your day off right.

Getting Your Day Off to a Gluten-Free Start

Breakfast is the first meal you eat after you wake up — after you’ve ‘fasted’ for eight or more hours (hence the clever name for this meal: break fast). Your body is hanging out for fresh supplies to get going for the day ahead. Yet many people aren’t hungry, or at least they think they aren’t hungry — and most people are frantically rushing to get themselves or others out the door. Usually, what’s sacrificed in this whirlwind of chaos is a healthy breakfast.

If mornings are a tad chaotic in your house, taking the time to prepare a healthy, gluten-free breakfast may seem like a luxury you can’t afford. But in reality, breakfast is, as your mum probably told you, the most important meal of the day. Not only does breakfast help with weight management by revving up your metabolism first thing in the morning, but breakfast eaters also have more positive attitudes and perform better at work and school. A nutritious gluten-free breakfast can have a positive impact on your entire day.

Breakfast, more than any other meal, is a very personal thing. The mere sight or smell of a hearty breakfast can send some people staggering back under the doona, heaving tragically, while others bounce out of the shower ready to eat the proverbial horse. Often people are at their fussiest first thing in the morning so the thought of particular foods that they would happily tuck into at lunch can be a real turn-off. So making the best choices and ‘getting it right for you’ is particularly important, especially for mums or dads who want to send their kids off with something nutritious inside. It’s worth spending time trying different things to find what makes a healthy, enjoyable breakfast for you or your child — and then making sure you don’t get into too much of a rut so that it becomes boring. (Some people eat the same breakfast — and love it — every morning for most of their lives. Some people just love the old, familiar routines.)

Grab ’n’ go starters

If time is limited, you still have plenty of nutritious gluten-free foods to choose from. Stock up on wholesome foods that are easy to eat and that you can take with you as you’re running out the door. And the foods don’t have to be traditional breakfast foods. Here are some suggestions:

• Carob pieces
• Cottage cheese (with or without fruit) in travel packaging
• Dried fruit, such as raisins, sultanas, apricots, cranberries or banana chips
• Fresh fruit or ‘fruit in a cup’ products
• Fruit and nut mix
• Fruit straps or fruit bars
• Gluten-free crackers with cheese slices
• Hard-boiled eggs
• Low-fat yoghurt
• Nuts, such as peanuts, almonds, walnuts, macadamias and cashews

If you know you’re rushed in the morning, pack a breakfast-on-the-go meal the night before. Put a bag of fruit and nut mix, yoghurt, an apple and a small juice or water bottle in a lunch box in the fridge. And don’t forget a spoon for the yoghurt!

Gluten-free Muesli

Try this basic recipe for starters, and then play around with it for variety.

Prep time: 15 minutes • Servings: 6–8

Ingredients

3 cups gluten-free cornflakes

3 cups gluten-free brown rice puffs

1 cup rolled rice flakes

1 cup rice bran straws

1 cup soy flakes

75 g (½ cup) almonds

90 g (½ cup) chopped dried apricots

180 g (1 cup) sultanas

Directions

1 Mix all ingredients together and store in an airtight jar. Proportions and ingredients can be varied according to taste and availability.

Tip: Optional additions include other dried fruits, such as currants, raisins, dried apple; other nuts, such as hazelnuts, brazil nuts; and other ingredients — for example, psyllium, LSA (ground linseed, sunflower and almond) mix and lecithin.

Per serving (7 serves): Kilojoules 1,436; Fat 9.1 g (Saturated <1 g); Sodium 126 mg; Carbohydrate 55 g (Dietary Fibre 8.1 g); Protein 7.9 g.

Bircher Muesli

Use this European recipe for a special breakfast or when you’ve invited friends over for brunch. It’s truly delicious.

Prep time: 30 minutes, plus refrigeration time • Servings: 6

Ingredients

120 g (1 cup) rolled rice flakes

250 ml (1 cup) milk (approx.)

Grated rind of 1 lemon

Juice of 1 orange

1 apple, grated

2 tablespoons chopped almonds

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon sugar

¾ cup Greek-style plain yoghurt

¼ cup thick cream (optional)

2 tablespoons sultanas

Directions

1 Place rolled rice flakes in a bowl and pour enough milk over to cover (about 1 cup).

2 Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

3 Add lemon rind, orange juice, apple, almonds, honey, sugar, yoghurt and cream (if using) and mix well.

4 Cover and refrigerate until well chilled.

5 Stir in sultanas and serve.

Per serving (no cream): Kilojoules 918; Fat 6.6 g (Saturated 2.4 g); Sodium 59 mg; Carbohydrate 31.9 g (Dietary Fibre 4.1 g); Protein 6.4 g.

Per serving (with cream): Kilojoules 1,528; Fat 22.1 g (Saturated 12.6 g); Sodium 79 mg; Carbohydrate 33.2 g (Dietary Fibre 4.1 g); Protein 7.3 g.

Gluten-free Porridge

You can call this recipe gluten-free porridge or cooked muesli. Some people think raw rice flakes are just a tad too close to horse fodder for comfort (maybe Margaret needs to come clean here and admit that she finds raw rice flakes too close to horse fodder or parrot food). But when well cooked and dressed up in their best gear, they become rather nice comfort food. Rice porridge is quick, easy and great for filling you up on chilly mornings.

Prep time: 4 minutes • Cooking time: 4 minutes • Servings: 1

Ingredients

½ cup rolled rice (rice flakes)

1 tablespoon sunflower kernels or other seeds

½ tablespoon chopped nuts

1 tablespoon dried fruit

Milk to taste

Directions

1 Mix dry ingredients in a microwave-proof bowl and just cover with boiling water.

2 Heat on high for 2 minutes and then stir well.

3 Add milk (to cover) and heat in the microwave on high for another 2 minutes, or longer if you like it very smooth.

4 Serve as you would a bowl of porridge. Some people like it with brown sugar and milk; others add chopped fresh or tinned fruit, or golden syrup or honey. You can also try some mixed spice to give it extra flavour. Add more milk if desired. Some people like to add a little fruit juice rather than milk at the end. If you need more fibre in your diet, add a teaspoonful — or more if needed — of psyllium husks before cooking.

Tip: Make sure you use enough dried fruit or the porridge can be very bland. Treat yourself to many different kinds of dried or dehydrated fruit — as well as sultanas or raisins, you can try apricots, mango or pawpaw — for extra flavour.

Tip: Mix up a big batch of rice flakes, dried fruit and nuts, store in an airtight container and you have breakfast ready to go. Mix 2 tablespoons each of dried fruit and seeds and 1 tablespoon of nuts per cup of rice flakes. The addition of fresh fruit when serving will provide energy over a longer time. You can also experiment with quinoa flakes for added nutrition and a different flavour.

Per serving: Kilojoules 1,623; Fat 15.6 g (Saturated 2.6 g); Sodium 32 mg; Carbohydrate 44.4 g (Dietary Fibre 11.5 g); Protein 11.4 g.

Blueberry Amaranth Porridge

This porridge is absolutely delicious. If you pine for real porridge, this amaranth version will truly compensate.

Prep time: 5 minutes • Cooking time: 25 minutes • Servings: 4

Ingredients

1½ cups amaranth (grain, not amaranth puffs)

2½ cups water

2½ cups milk

2 tablespoons butter

⅓ cup cream

1½ cups blueberries

4 tablespoons maple syrup

Directions

1 Combine amaranth, water, milk and butter in a heavy saucepan.

2 Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mixture becomes thick.

3 Stir in cream and blueberries.

4 Place in four serving bowls and drizzle with maple syrup. Serve immediately.

Vary It! This porridge is also delicious with cooked apricots instead of blueberries.

Per serving: Kilojoules 2,360; Fat 21.1 g (Saturated 12.1 g); Sodium 85 mg; Carbohydrate 75.5 g (Dietary Fibre 6.2 g); Protein 15.5 g.

Source: © Ashley Laurel Herndon.

Power-start your gluten-free day with protein

Protein really does pack a nutritional punch, regulating blood-sugar levels and providing a lot of time-released energy throughout the day. By starting your day with a meal high in protein, you’re giving yourself a nutritional boost that can carry you for hours.

Not only does protein provide sustained energy, but it also helps you regulate weight. Protein stimulates the secretion of glucagon, a hormone that tells your body to mobilise fat and begin breaking it down. This reduces fat stores and, ultimately, your waistline.

Fortunately, high-protein foods are plentiful in the gluten-free diet. In fact, many of the ‘traditional’ breakfast foods that aren’t gluten-free, such as toast or pancakes, actually offer very little in the way of protein. In contrast, many foods that are inherently gluten-free, such as eggs and meats, are very high in protein.

From a gluten-free standpoint, whether your protein is from plant or animal sources really doesn’t matter. Eggs are an obvious source of protein for breakfast (see the following section for recipe ideas using eggs), but you can incorporate plenty of other protein sources into your first meal of the day:

• Baked beans
• Dairy products (low-fat milk, cheese and yoghurt)
• Gluten-free lean bacon or ham slices
• Lean sirloin or steak strips
• Nuts
• Smoothies (you can find recipe ideas under ‘Starting Your Day Smoothly’)
• Tinned tuna or salmon

The Incredible, Edible Egg

Eggs offer more value than many people realise. They’re extremely nutritious, containing all the essential amino acids, and countless vitamins and antioxidants. They’re also convenient, inexpensive and easy to prepare.

Have you ever wondered how to tell whether your eggs are raw or hard-boiled? Take them for a spin. A hard-boiled egg spins freely and a raw one doesn’t. This happens because the hard-boiled egg is solid, so everything spins in one direction all at once. The raw egg sloshes around and doesn’t allow a fast spinning motion.

Eggs in a Bread Basket

This is a fun way to serve eggs and toast, especially if you have kids in the house. Because gluten-free breads tend to be smaller than other breads, you may want to put two slices side by side, cutting shapes in the touching edges to create the cut-out area that the egg goes into.

Prep time: 5 minutes • Cooking time: 5 minutes • Servings: 4

Ingredients

4 slices gluten-free bread

4 tablespoons margarine

4 eggs

Directions

1 Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium–high heat. While the pan is heating, butter both sides of each piece of bread.

2 In the centre of each bread slice, cut out a circle about the size of an egg. You can use a knife to cut the circle, or use a biscuit cutter to make cute shapes.

3 Make sure the pan is hot enough that if you put a drop of water on it, the water sizzles. When the pan is hot, put all the bread — slices and cut-outs — on the pan to fry.

4 When the bottom side of the bread is golden brown, after about 2 minutes, turn the slices and cut-outs.

5 Crack an egg into the hole in the centre of each slice of bread. You may find you have too much egg and that it covers the bread. That’s okay.

6 When the second side of bread is golden brown, after about 2 minutes, turn it again to cook the egg on the other side. Cook the egg until it’s the firmness you enjoy and serve the ‘eggs in a basket’ with the cooked cut-outs as decorative additions.

Tip: If you want to cut out a lot of the cholesterol, toss the yolks and simply make this recipe with the whites.

Per serving: Kilojoules 1,100; Fat 18.6 g (Saturated 5.8 g); Sodium 431 mg; Carbohydrate 16 g (Dietary Fibre <1 g); Protein 8.4 g.

Instant Eggs

Eating protein for breakfast is recommended, but for those in a desperate hurry, it’s sometimes hard to do. Try this quick way of preparing an egg and then create your own versions with what you have in the kitchen.

Prep time: 3 minutes • Cooking time: 1 minute • Servings: 1

Ingredients

1 teaspoon butter or margarine

1 egg

1 teaspoon milk

Salt and pepper

Chopped basil or other herbs

1 heaped teaspoonful of one of the following: sweet corn, finely chopped celery, spring onions, sliced olive, fetta or other cheese, cooked pumpkin OR ½ teaspoon of sweet chilli sauce OR ¼ teaspoon of curry powder

Directions

1 Grease the bottom and sides of a small microwave-proof bowl (dessert bowl size). If time is at a premium, you don’t have to grease the bowl first — it will just make it a tad easier to clean later on. Add the egg, milk, herbs and salt and pepper to taste and beat with a fork to mix.

2 Mix in one of the extra ingredients suggested, such as sliced olive.

3 Heat in microwave on high until centre is just cooked. You’ll have to experiment because microwave ovens vary and the timing is important. Try 50 seconds first and if your egg is still runny, cook it for another 10 seconds, or as necessary. Don’t overcook or the egg will become rubbery and tasteless. Some fillings take a little longer.

4 Turn out onto a slice of hot buttered toast.

Per serving: Kilojoules 442; Fat 8.7 g (Saturated 2.7 g); Sodium 106 mg; Carbohydrate <1 g (Dietary Fibre <1 g); Protein 6.6 g.

Fetta Frittata

This recipe is one of Margaret’s all-time favourites. It’s a winner with her grandchildren and a big hit at leisurely brunches in the garden with friends (don’t forget the champagne).

Prep time: 20 minutes • Cooking time: 15 minutes • Servings: 6

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

3 shallots or ½ onion

½ cup grated carrot

1 cup grated zucchini

1 cup chopped mushrooms

6 large eggs, beaten

Pepper

100 g (½ cup) fetta cheese

½ cup chopped fresh basil (1 teaspoon of dried basil will do, but it’s not as good)

1 cup grated tasty cheese

Directions

1 Heat butter/margarine in a small frying pan over medium heat. Gently fry the finely chopped shallots or onion, then add other vegetables and cook until they’ve softened.

2 Add eggs and pepper. Salt isn’t needed as the fetta is usually very salty. Tilt the frying pan from side to side so that the eggs cover all the vegetables.

3 Add fetta and chopped basil and press into the egg mixture. As it cooks, loosen the egg mixture around the edges of the pan and allow any uncooked egg to run underneath.

4 When almost cooked, sprinkle with cheese, wrap the handle of the frying pan in foil and pop under the griller for a minute or two to brown the cheese.

5 Gently slide frittata on to a serving plate, or cut into serving-sized segments in the pan with a spatula. Serve hot with gluten-free toast.

Vary It! Add finely chopped gluten-free ham, pitted olives and sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes, or use cooked vegetables (cubes of cooked pumpkin or sweet potato are good). It can be spiced up by adding sweet chilli sauce. Frittata also tastes delicious cold for lunch or sliced into savoury nibbles.

Per serving: Kilojoules 1,012; Fat 18.9 g (Saturated 9.3 g); Sodium 420 mg; Carbohydrate 1.5 g (Dietary Fibre 1 g); Protein 16.4 g.

Little Egg and Bacon Pies

These delicious morsels have no crust and are baked in muffin trays. Use gluten-free bacon or ham and serve warm. They can be taken on a picnic in their tray — a sure-fire winner.

Prep time: 20 minutes • Cooking time: 20 minutes • Serves: 12

Ingredients

12 thin slices rindless gluten-free bacon or ham (ham is easier to use than bacon)

12 eggs

2 teaspoons whipping cream (you can substitute plain yoghurt or gluten-free mayonnaise)

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

4 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

Directions

1 Preheat oven to 180°C and grease a 12-hole muffin tray.

2 Line each muffin hole with a slice of bacon or ham. Drop a broken egg into each one.

3 Drizzle each muffin hole with a little cream (or gluten-free mayonnaise or plain yoghurt) and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and parmesan cheese.

4 Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the egg is set. Remove from oven and set aside for minutes. Loosen with a knife and serve hot, or cool on a wire rack for later use.

Tip: If you’ve only seen grated parmesan in the shaker packs, for adding to pasta or other dishes, look for solid parmesan in the deli section, or at the deli counter. Store in an airtight container in the fridge and grate it as you need it. Other tasty cheese will do if necessary, but if you want real flavour, go for the real parmesan.

Per serving: Kilojoules 436; Fat 6.7 g (Saturated 2.4 g); Sodium 409 mg; Carbohydrate <1 g (Dietary Fibre 0 g); Protein 10.9 g.

French Toast

French toast reminds some people of easy elegance. It’s ridiculously easy to make but somehow suggests an air of sophistication, especially if you serve it with caster sugar and strawberries.

Prep time: 5 minutes • Cooking time: 6 minutes per slice (less if using a sandwich press) • Servings: 6

Ingredients

4 eggs

¼ cup milk

¼ teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

2 tablespoons butter

6 slices gluten-free bread

Directions

1 In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, milk and cinnamon (if desired). Beat the mixture with a whisk or fork until well blended.

2 Melt some of the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat, or heat sandwich press or toaster oven.

3 Dip each slice of bread in the egg mixture, coating the bread well on both sides. Use a spatula and tongs and handle with care. Don’t leave the bread in the egg mixture too long — French toast made with gluten-free bread can very easily turn into Le French Mush.

4 Place the bread in the frying pan or sandwich press. Cook the bread until golden brown. If using a frying pan turn after about 3 minutes.

5 Serve the French toast warm. You can top the toast with golden syrup, caster sugar and/or sliced strawberries, or make a savoury version by leaving out the cinnamon and adding your favourite dried herbs — get creative.

Tip: If you have a toaster bag you can use it to make French toast. You don’t need to grease the bag. Be careful when taking the bag out of the toaster — you’ll need an oven mitt because the bags get very hot.

Per serving: Kilojoules 725; Fat 9.1 g (Saturated 4.8 g); Sodium 309 mg; Carbohydrate 16.4 g (Dietary Fibre <1 g); Protein 6.6 g.

Simple Smoothie

This recipe is the foundation smoothie from which all other smoothies are born: simple, delicious and just waiting for you to enhance it with nutritious ingredients and a creative style all your own. This smoothie combines the sweetness of bananas and honey with the slight tartness of strawberry yoghurt.

Preparation time: 4 minutes • Servings: 2

Ingredients

½ cup milk

1 cup strawberry yoghurt

2 ripe bananas

1 teaspoon honey

¼ cup ice cubes

Directions

1 Put all the ingredients in a blender.

2 Mix until smooth.

Vary It! You can make a smoothie countless ways — be creative and use ingredients you have on hand. Play with the portion sizes and types of ingredients you use to get the taste and nutritional value that suits you. The only fruit that doesn’t work well is citrus.

Per serving: Kilojoules 1,129; Fat 6.2 g (Saturated 3.9 g); Sodium 106 mg; Carbohydrate 42.2 g (Dietary Fibre 2.2 g); Protein 10.2 g.

If you have bananas lying around that are a little too brown for your taste, or strawberries that are getting a tad mushy, toss them in a smoothie. Bananas and other fruits, especially when at the tail end of being aesthetically acceptable, sweeten smoothies and add loads of nutritional value.

Starting Your Day Smoothly

Smoothies are a great way to start the day. These thick, smooth drinks use a foundation of fruit or fruit juice, milk and yoghurt or ice cream. No need for any fancy equipment — any blender, immersion hand-blender, or even a shaker cup will work. Not only are smoothies delicious and easy to whip up, but you can easily sneak a lot of nutritious things into them without anyone knowing. Creamy, rich, refreshing and energising, smoothies suit any taste and any mood. The only thing limiting your options is your creativity.

Another great starter is that all-time favourite, the pancake, or its second cousin, the drop scone. Bring on a plate of these and watch the early morning grumbles disappear.

Pancakes

Pancakes have been cherished as a favourite breakfast staple for centuries. You can also use this batter to make waffles — just follow the cooking instructions that came with your waffle iron. Dress up your waffles and pancakes by adding sliced bananas to the batter and serve sprinkled with sugar and lemon juice, jam or honey, or with fresh fruit and whipped cream.

Prep time: 10 minutes • Cooking time: 5 minutes per pancake • Servings: 8

Ingredients

Non-stick spray

1 cup gluten-free plain flour mixture (see Chapter 9, or use a commercial plain flour mix)

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 eggs, beaten

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup milk

Directions

1 Heat a frying pan over medium heat. To see whether the pan is at the right temperature, let a drop of water fall in the pan — if the water sizzles immediately and moves around, the pan’s hot enough. Spray the pan lightly with non-stick spray.

2 In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour mixture, xanthan gum and baking powder. Add the vanilla, eggs, oil and milk. Stir the batter until moistened, using a whisk to remove any lumps.

3 Use a large spoon to drop about ⅓ cup batter onto the hot griddle or pan (to make mouse pancakes, drop one large spoonful of batter and use two smaller ones for ears).

4 Bubbles should begin to form in about 3 minutes. When they do, lift the pancake slightly with a spatula to see whether the underside is golden brown. If it is, flip the pancake over. This time you won’t see bubbles to know when the pancake is browning, so you’ll have to check occasionally. Usually pancakes take 2 to 3 minutes to become golden brown on the second side.

Tip: Try using ’melted’ berries for a deliciously healthy topping. Put fresh or frozen whole strawberries, raspberries or blueberries in a saucepan with a little sugar, mash the berries slightly and add a tiny bit of water. Heat the mixture slowly until the sugar dissolves in the juice.

Per serving: Kilojoules 741; Fat 7.9 g (Saturated 1.9 g); Sodium 46 mg; Carbohydrate 20.3 g (Dietary Fibre 1.7 g); Protein 4.7 g.

Scottish Drop Scones

Originating in the highlands of Scotland (Hoots, mon), this recipe has been handed down through the generations to our ‘Real Cook’, who adapted it to be gluten-free. Her grandmother, who migrated in the 1920s, called them ‘griddle scones’. She did not have a sweet tooth, so replaced the golden syrup in the recipe with some grated cheese. Split and toasted the next day, they’re nearly as good.

Prep time: 15 minutes • Cooking time: 10–15 minutes • Servings: 15 scones

Ingredients

200 g (1 cup) gluten-free plain flour mix

1 large or 2 small eggs

125 ml (½ cup) milk

2 tablespoons melted butter, margarine or oil

2 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

Directions

1 Place flour in a medium mixing bowl, add egg(s) and milk; beat well.

2 Add melted butter or oil, baking powder and salt; beat well. If mix is very dry, add a little milk, but don’t make the batter runny or you will end up with pikelets instead.

3 Spoon batter onto preheated, greased frying pan to make 6 or 7 scones. Cook 4 to 5 minutes or until set and medium brown. Carefully turn over and cook a further 4 to 5 minutes or until firm when pressed. Split and serve hot with butter and jam, or top half a scone with a poached egg.

Per serving (1 scone): Kilojoules 336; Fat 3.1 g (Saturated 1 g); Sodium 75 mg; Carbohydrate 10.6 g (Dietary Fibre <1 g); Protein 2.1 g.

Brighten Your Breakfast with a Muffin

We love muffins because they’re easy to make, no-fuss and almost everyone loves to eat them, whether for breakfast, lunch or as a snack. They are sweet enough to satisfy the ‘sweet tooths’ (or should that be ‘sweet teeth’) who love all things sweet and sugary, yet not too sweet for those who definitely don’t. Start with a basic recipe to get an idea of how long muffins take to cook in your own oven and how sweet you prefer them, and then branch out and try some of the other recipes. When you decide how you like your muffins, you can experiment to your heart’s content. Margaret loves the muffins with a savoury flavour, like zucchini and sun-dried tomato. Some possible additions are basil, pesto, chopped walnuts and parmesan cheese. Experiment a little and surprise your guests with a freshly baked zucchini and walnut muffin with their eggs. You’ll need to make lots because they will go like hot — well, like hot muffins!

Here are some tips to remember when making muffins:

• Adding a teaspoon of xanthan or guar gum improves the texture of your muffins so they are less likely to crumble.
• Replace rice flour with brown rice flour if you want to increase the fibre content, or use one of the basic flour mixes in Chapter 9 and add 1 to 2 teaspoons of gluten-free baking powder. If possible, use a mix of flours because rice flour alone tends to make rather dry muffins.
• Non-stick muffin trays still need to be either greased or lined with muffin papers. A gluten-free non-stick spray product is both convenient and saves on fat intake.
• Be careful not to overbake or your muffins will be hard and dry.
• Two egg whites can be substituted for one whole egg to reduce cholesterol.
• Adding ½ cup cooked apple or apple sauce to a basic mix creates a softer, moister muffin.

Fruit and Nut Muffins

This recipe produces a nice, substantial muffin. If you want to serve muffins for breakfast, you can prepare this mixture and leave overnight, ready to cook the next morning.

Prep time: 20 minutes • Cooking time: 20–25 minutes • Serves: 12 muffins

Ingredients

1 egg

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons honey

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup gluten-free self-raising flour

1 heaped teaspoon bicarbonate soda

¾ teaspoon xanthan gum

1 cup rice bran

1 cup currants and/or sultanas

1 cup chopped nuts

Directions

1 Preheat oven to 180°C and grease or line a 12-hole muffin tray.

2 Mix egg, oil, honey, milk and vanilla in a large bowl.

3 Sift in flour and bicarbonate soda, then add the xanthan gum and rice bran and mix well. If you don’t want to use rice bran, or dislike the flavour, replace with ¾ cup of another gluten-free flour.

4 Stir in fruit and nuts. (Cover and refrigerate overnight for early morning baking.)

5 Divide mixture evenly into the muffin holes.

6 Bake 20 minutes (fan forced) or 25 minutes until golden brown. Serve buttered if you wish.

Per serving (1 muffin): Kilojoules 1,144; Fat 13.7 g (Saturated 2.5 g); Sodium 301 mg; Carbohydrate 31.2 g (Dietary Fibre 4.9 g); Protein 6.2 g.

Banana and Choc Chip Muffins

This recipe calls for gluten-free self-raising flour — the commercial self-raising flour mixes are really good. If you use your own plain flour mix (refer to Chapter 9), you need to add gluten-free baking powder.

Prep time: 15 minutes • Cooking time: 25–30 minutes • Serves: 12 muffins

Ingredients

1½ cups gluten-free self-raising flour

½ cup sugar

¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

1 egg, beaten

2 tablespoons butter or margarine (melted)

1 cup sour cream or milk

2 mashed bananas

½ cup choc chips

Directions

1 Preheat oven to 180°C and grease or line a 12-hole muffin tray.

2 Mix flour, sugar, bicarbonate soda and xanthan gum.

3 Mix together egg, butter or margarine, sour cream or milk and add to dry ingredients.

4 Add banana and choc chips and mix lightly until combined. Don’t overmix.

5 Divide evenly between muffin holes and cook for 25 to 30 minutes.

Per serving (1 muffin): Kilojoules 748; Fat 5.3 g (Saturated 2.4 g); Sodium 342 mg; Carbohydrate 30.5 g (Dietary Fibre 1.6 g); Protein 2.1 g.

Berry Muffins

Just in case you’re still looking for that absolutely perfect muffin, here is one last recipe. These muffins have a particularly soft texture and with the addition of fresh or frozen raspberries are truly delicious. The apple sauce adds little to the flavour but really improves the texture. You can use either fresh or frozen berries (if using frozen fruit, don’t thaw it first).

Prep time: 20 minutes • Cooking time: 20–25 minutes • Serves: 12 medium-sized muffins

Ingredients

300 g (1½ cups) rice flour

1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder

½ teaspoon bicarbonate soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

50 g (¼ cup) sugar

125 ml (½ cup) canola oil

2 eggs

1 cup unsweetened apple sauce (use stewed apples or a can of apple baby food)

½ teaspoon vanilla

½ cup frozen or fresh raspberries, blueberries, berry mix or dried cranberries

Directions

1 Preheat oven to 180°C and grease or line a 12-hole muffin tray.

2 In a medium mixing bowl combine rice flour, baking powder, bicarbonate soda, salt, xanthan gum and sugar.

3 Add oil, eggs, apple sauce and vanilla, stirring until just combined. Lightly fold in chosen berries.

4 Spoon into muffin holes. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until muffins are starting to brown and are firm to the touch when pressed.

Per serving: Kilojoules 867; Fat 10.6 g (Saturated 1.1 g); Sodium 151 mg; Carbohydrate 26.4 g (Dietary Fibre 1.1 g); Protein 3 g.