Mmmmuffins

Ella was only 6 months old when we found out about her food allergies. I have always been allergic to nuts so that part was not a transition for me, but eggs and milk?!? I had grown up baking with my Mom and looked forward to doing the same with my kids but I did not have one recipe that my girl could even eat.  So I began my search and tried out a lot of recipes for Ella.  Many of these first trials were not fit for human consumption. Just ask anyone who was at her second birthday party where I served "2-ton-too-sweet-upset-your-stomach Chocolate Cake." 

A lot of "allergy free" recipes I found used weird ingredients that just tasted too...well, weird!  Ella didn't know anything different so she was content, but that meant I was making 2 recipes for everything: one weird tasting thing she could eat, and one normal for the rest of us. That is way too much work!  So my new goal became finding (or creating) recipes that Ella could eat, would not contain bizarre or hard-to-find ingredients, and that everyone would love (not just tolerate).  We have made these blueberry muffins twice this week and I don't think I would change anything even if I could!


BLUEBERRY MUFFINS


1   cup all-purpose flour 
3/4 cup wheat flour
1/3 cup sugar
2   tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup canola oil
1   Tbsp. ground flax seed*
3   Tbsp water
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1   cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
*crumb topping (optional but YUM!) recipe below

• Mix in a big bowl the flours, sugar, baking powder and salt.  
• In a small bowl mix the flax seed and 3 Tbsp of water.  
• Add the water, oil, flax mixture and vanilla to the dry ingredients.
• Mix till combined.
• Add the blueberries.
• Spoon the batter into 12 greased muffin cups.
• Top with the crumb topping (if you are using it).
• Bake for 18 minutes at 400 F.

* OK I realize I said "no bizarre or hard to find ingredients" and now I am telling you to use flax seed.  Sorry 'bout that one.  But milled or ground flax is a great egg-substitute: it is not hard to find or expensive or weird tasting. I just got a huge bag of it at Costco.  If you just can't get flax than you could use a 1/4 cup of applesauce (it makes the muffins almost a little too moist though) or if you don't need to worry about the allergy thing then use an egg!

CRUMB TOPPING

2   Tbsp. melted dairy-free margarine

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup oats 

• Mix all the ingredients till it is very crumb-y.
• Spoon the crumbs on the tops of unbaked muffins.
• Pat them down a bit so they don't roll off when the muffins rise (can you tell I learned that from experience)
• Bake according to your muffin recipe.