Citrus Muffins

I was encouraged by the abundance of citrus fruit in the stores at this time of year. A friend on another list shared with us her recipe for Orange Muffins and it got me thinking. The recipe below is the result.

• 1 1/2 c fresh squeezed lemon and orange juice (be sure to remove seeds but leave the pulp)
• 1/3 c syrup from crushed pineapple
• 1/3 c water
• 3 eggs or 3 inches agar agar or 3 tsp powdered agar
• 1 c crushed pineapple (drained - use the syrup as above)
• 1/3 c chopped walnuts
• 3 c preferred GF Flour mix *
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp salt
• 4 tblsp baking powder
• 1/2 c ground white or black sesame seeds
• 1/4 tsp white stevia powder

1. Preheat the oven to 400 ° F and prepare muffin tins by spraying with a safe oil and lightly dust with sorghum or other GF flour.
2. Sift the flours together with the other dry ingredients in a small bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, cream margarine with stevia, eggs and citrus juices using hand blender or stand mixer.
4. When mixture reaches the texture of curdled milk, add the dry ingredients and mix well.
5. Stir in the water until mixture has the consistency of thick cake batter.
6. Add in the walnuts or other desired chopped nuts or seeds and crushed pineapple.
7. Spoon into the prepared muffin tins.
8. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until centre of muffin springs up when pressed lightly with an index finger.
9. Flip the muffins over and cook for another 5-10 minutes to insure they are cooked all the way through.

Incidentally, if you prefer instead of juicing the lemons and oranges, you can peel them and put them in the blender to liquefy them and use that mash instead of the 1 1/2 c of fresh squeezed juice. You may have to add a little extra pineapple syrup or water if you do though. Don't be afraid to do that. Gluten free cooking is all about texture and feel. This batter will not be poured into the tins. This mixture is also stiff enough that it can be used to make free form biscuits similar to baking powder biscuits by dropping them by the spoonful onto a prepared cookie or a stoneware baking sheet.

NB: If you care to have the muffins a little sweeter, you can adjust the amount of stevia to suit your taste. I would not however, use more than 1/2 tsp unless you are experienced with stevia. It is a powerful sweetener and less is more.

If you do not have ground sesame seeds, they may be omitted. Their purpose is mostly to add calcium for those who do not eat dairy. If you do omit them, be sure to increase the flours used and to add a little extra baking powder.

© by Brenda-Lee Olson