FANNIE’S KITCHEN

Read “Goodbye Arthur” and “Tips–Gluten No-No’s” posts

This post started out as a quick recipe for gluten-free muffins which could have also been called cornbread.  It was so easy and had me doing a little dance when they came out just right.

Then, much to my disappointment, I noticed that my blood pressure spiked whenever I ate even one of those scrumptious morsels.  After four attempts to adjust the amount of salt and low-sodium-gluten-free baking powder in the recipe, they still came out like little cream-colored hockey pucks.  Then frustration set in.  Now I had to start all over trying to find a gluten-free recipe for “Fannie’s Kitchen”.  Just when I was about to let anxiety take over, I got the “message” that I was supposed to find something really different, hopefully tasty, and oh yeah, healthier.  My mood perked up with that challenge.

Sure enough, I found a recipe using quinoa (KEEN-WA) which is one of the few OK gluten-free grains.  (Millet and buckwheat are gluten-free grains also.)  When I think muffins, I think sweet, but these savory muffins are not supposed to be sweet, just like English muffins are not sweet.  Some people really like quinoa but I find it rather bland, so I was glad to find this way to “doctor” it up.

The recipe called for lots of garlic, onions and cilantro which I don’t like, so I decided to make it with ingredients I do like, while keeping it gluten-free, dairy-free, easy and quick.

I made a small batch because I didn’t know if they would even be eatable, but I’m sure they will taste the same even if you double the recipe.  Better yet, make your own substitutions and let us know what you come up with.  You could probably use any kind of tomatoes, mushrooms or bell peppers, as well as your favorite herbs, spices and vegetables.

I found gluten-free, dairy-free cheese in the frozen food section of the Natural Foods area in my local supermarket.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Prep time: 15 min.  Serves: 6   Cook time: 30 min.

INGREDIENTS:

• *Cooked quinoa
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 cup dairy-free shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup grape tomatoes, diced
• 1/4 cup chopped shiitake mushrooms
• 1/4 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
• Dash of salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon chili powder, crushed oregano, ground sage, each

DIRECTIONS:

*Cook quinoa according to package directions. (I used 1/2 cup quinoa and 1 cup water which yields a little more than a cup.)

Prepare muffin pan with nonstick baking spray.

In a large bowl, combine cooked quinoa with remaining ingredients, mix well.

Transfer quinoa mixture to prepared muffin pan.  Using a tablespoon, fill each muffin cup to the top, press down mixture to create a flat surface.

Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from oven; set aside to cool for 15 minutes.  Using a teaspoon, gently remove them from the muffin cups.

Let us hear from you, like them or not.

Image:

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