Banana Coconut Muffins (gluten-free & vegan)

I’ve been trying to get this gluten-free baking/science down and its pretty difficult! I had some bananas ripening so I wanted to use them up in a muffin recipe.

I came across this recipe on a gluten-free baking site (http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2009/03/big-banana-muffins.html) and made some changes to it. They turned out delicious!

I used coconut sugar and flour in this recipe to increase its nutritional value.  Coconut sugar is a natural sweetener from the nectar of the coconut tree.  Its nutritional value is almost double that of brown sugar! It is a rich source of potassium, magnesium, zinc and iron.

It is a low glycemic sweetener at levels of only 35 GI (Glycemic Index). This is very low when compared to fruit or refined white sugar, date sugar, maple sugar, honey and molasses at 65 to 100 GI, therefore it will not cause a sharp spike in blood sugar levels.

Coconut Sugar also has a low fructose level of 10% which is a lot lower than the 50% – 90% fructose found in agave nectar products or corn syrup. This is important as your liver can only handle a certain amount of fructose and if consuming too much will convert to fats causing high blood triglycerides and increasing your risk of cardiovascular disease.

Coconut is naturally anti-viral, and anti-bacterial and has been found to reduce LDL blood levels (the “bad” cholesterol), improve blood glucose, reduce insulin levels and boost the immune system.  Therefore this is a great alternative for diabetics or those suffering from hypoglycemia.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees

Combine together in a medium bowl:

1/2 cup rice flour

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/2 cup tapioca starch

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum (you can find in most health food stores)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Whisk in a separate large bowl:

1 cup mashed ripe bananas

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

1 cup organic culinary coconut sugar (Mum’s Original is good brand)

2 teaspoons high quality vanilla extract

Egg replacement for 2 eggs mixed with warm water or use 2 organic free-range eggs

1/4 teaspoon mild rice vinegar

Add the dry ingredients into the banana mixture and stir until smooth. Note: this batter will be pretty thick!

Spoon batter into greased muffin tray or with muffin cups. On a hard surface, tap the tray down flat to even out the batter.  Use the back of a spoon to smooth over the tops of the muffins and to make sure there aren’t any air pockets.  Sprinkle with unsweetened shredded coconut.  Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick is inserted into the center and emerges clean.

This is also a great base muffin to add all sorts of other ingredients like: chocolate chips, blueberries, nuts or seeds, or dried fruit.

References:

Mum’s Original Coconut sugar: http://www.mumsoriginal.com/products/?id=18