Muffin Mix - PRODUCT REVIEW

Muffin Mix - PRODUCT REVIEW

We are always searching for ways to help the kids feel like they aren't "missing out" on foods they had before they were diagnosed and our household went Gluten Free. As a result, baking is usually a late night event when all the household chores are complete.

Thus, we try different mixes to make the process a little quicker!

For breakfast muffins we have found a product we really like. We use King Arthur Flour gluten free Muffin Mix. It is a vanilla muffin base and my kids really like blueberries added. Obviously you can add whatever you have on hand - chocolate chips, apple pieces, raspberries, nuts, dried fruits, etc.

Their instructions to finish the tops with coarse sugar make the finished product look like they came from a bakery!

I have to say that the kids eat them so quickly I have gone to making them in the mini muffin pan so that I can include them in their lunches.

TIP - If you aren't going to eat them quickly, freeze them. The muffins get gooey if they aren't consumed quickly. In the freezer they keep very well. Just put them in the microwave with a microwave safe cup or mug filled with water and microwave on 1/2 power. I usually check it after 30 seconds as microwaves vary.

My ADD IN's - You know by now I can't leave well enough alone. When I first started baking gluten free my kids said what I was making from mixes wasn't the same sweetness as baking I did before. So, I have gone to adding things to the mixes.
For this mix, I add:

• 2 packets of Stevia in the Raw
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon

As always, I welcome your comments and suggestions!

Lunch Box Idea #2 - Turkey Broccoli Slaw

Lunch Box Idea #2 - Turkey Broccoli Slaw served with Apple Wedges on the side.

I got this recipe from e-mealz at mealtimemakeover.com. The name really doesn't do it justice and I might have even skipped it but we really need some variation in the lunch area so we tried it out. The kids loved it and my husband did as well. It is worth the try!

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
Natural sweetener Stevia equivalent to 2 teaspoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
12oz package of broccoli slaw
1.5+lbs cooked turkey, cubed
1.5 cups seedless red grapes, halved
2 carrots coarsely shredded
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

In a screw top jar, combine vinegar, oil, sugar and salt. Cover and shake well. In a large bowl combine broccoli slaw, turkey, grapes and carrots. Add dressing toss to coat. Sprinkle with pepper.
Serve sliced apples on the side

My add ins
We add a bit more balsamic vinegar (you can test out your taste buds)
I used 2 packets of Stevia in the Raw for the sugar
We added 1/4 cup golden raisins
We topped with shredded Irish Cheddar Cheese
In the lunch box we kept the dressing separate for dressing at the lunch table
For the turkey we purchased 1/2 lb cooked Turkey - Jenny O brand
We made it another time and used cubed ham

I'd love to hear what you think!

Banana Bread (Nuts optional) - PRODUCT REVIEW

Banana Bread Mix - PRODUCT REVIEW

One of the things that I find we miss most are things others call "Comfort Foods". Baking Gluten Free is probably one of the hardest things I have tried to master. I would say I have failed quite a few times. I have tried mixes that don't turn out, have a strange consistency, etc. When we find one that works, we tend to buy it over and over again. If you have a mix for Banana Bread that you prefer over the one we have chosen, please feel free to leave a comment. I would love to try something new but when it works, we just don't mess with it!

The Really Great Food Company has an incredible Gluten Free Banana Bread Mix.

My Additions -
1 tsp of vanilla
2 packets of Stevia in the Raw
1 EXTRA cup of overripe bananas (sometimes it is a little less - I just use what I have on hand. The recipe calls for 1 cup but I think at a minimum I would put in 1.5 cups for our taste)

Try it and let me know what you think! This doesn't stay around very long at all. If something happens and a loaf gets missed and it is starting to get a bit old, we use it for french toast!