July 4th Blueberry Breakfast Bakes

We have a small bunch of blueberry bushes on our North facing slope, encased in a small pavilion of netting. Birds and chipmunks, even rabbits find their way in anyway, but usually by the first week of July we also get a few ripe berries. They can be tart, no doubt, but they are a thrill to pick a half pint to a pint on a daily basis. Towards the end of July, we can't keep up, and I throw them right into the freezer to pull out the taste of summer in the middle of winter. July 4th is usually a celebration that the berries are starting to come and in days before vegan, no oil eating, I used to make amazing blueberry muffins. So I don't want to give up that celebratory feeling when the berries start to ripen! It is hard to bake a muffin texture without wheat gluten or eggs, so I decided to try NEW INGREDIENTS: Xanthan gum and Potato Starch, both of which are available through Bob's Red Mill in some fairly "normal" grocery stores.
These came out nicely in scone-like shapes on a silicone baking sheet. If I had only had a few strawberries, I would have sliced them on top for a red-white-n-blue feeling.  I cannot say that these are truly gluten free -- using oats and Emmer wheat (also known as farro in its grain format), but there are those with some gluten sensitivities who do not react to farro, by any name. I haven't tried this combination with rice flour, but you could... and let me know how it goes if you do!

Fourth of July Blueberry Breakfast Bakes

1/3 cup oats
2 Tblsp flax seeds
2 Tblsp potato starch
1/4 tsp xanthan gum
2/3 c Emmer Wheat Flour
2 tsp almond meal
1 Tblsp nutritional yeast
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup walnuts

Blueberries - 10 smashed and nearly 1 cup more
1/8 cup or 2 Tbsp maple syrup
1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk

MIX the first 10 dry ingredients together in a medium large bowl.
COMBINE the moist ingredients with the berries (you can use a 2 cup measuring cup for this).

ADD the wet to the dry, mixing gently until it forms one gooey batter.

Add caption

PLOP in scone size splats on a silicone baking sheet and bake at 350F for about 25 minutes. Cool a couple minutes so that you don't scald yourself on molten blueberries in that first bite and ruin a yummy breakfast!

Blueberry Walnut July Muffins Nutrition Facts Serving Size: 1 Serving (80g) Amount Per Serving % Daily Value* Calories 182 9% Total Fat 5g 8% Saturated Fat 1g 3% Trans Fat Cholesterol 0% Sodium 127mg 5% Total Carbohydrate 28g 9% Dietary Fiber 4g 15% Sugars 5g 0% Protein 7g 13% Vitamin A 1% • Vitamin C 3% Calcium 11% • Iron 7% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calories needs. courtesy of cronometer.com using my data.

Sunflower Raisin Buckwheat Muffin

Emmer wheat turns out to be farro and my local food coop found a relatively local source! So I couldn't resist trying this early simple form of wheat, ground into fine flour. I am not willing to accept that I must always have the flavor of brown rice flour in everything I bake. So these are not gluten free, but they are still whole grain and no oil! I wanted something hearty, full flavored, textured and with the sweetness of raisins for my darling who loves raisins. The best ideas sometimes come at the last minute... adding the crunch and depth of sunflower seeds to the muffins just as I put them in the oven!

SUNFLOWER RAISIN BUCKWHEAT MUFFINS
2/3 cup Emmer wheat flour
1/3 cup buckwheat flour
1/3 oat bran
1/3 cup apple sauce
2 heaping TBLSP black currant fruit spread (or any other fruit spread you like)
1 tsp agave
1 tsp fennel
1 tsp amaranth grains
1/4 cup raisins (or fresh cherries!)

1/3 cup soy milk
1 TBSP nutritional yeast
1.25 tsp baking powder
dash of salt
1/3 sunflower seeds pressed into the tops of the muffins prior to baking

1. Mix all the dry ingredients in the larger of two bowls. Mix all the wet stuff in the second bowl (the jam gave this a lovely color and flavor undercurrent). Save out the raisins and sunflower seeds.
2. Add raisins as you mix the wet into the dry.  Fill 6 silicone muffin cups placed on a baking sheet. Cover the tops with sunflower seeds!
3. Bake at 375F 45 minutes.

Sunflower Raisin Buckwheat Muffins makes 6

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 muffin (100g)

Amount Per Serving		% Daily Value*
Calories	238	12%
Total Fat	5g	7%
Saturated Fat	1g	3%
Trans Fat
Cholesterol		0%
Sodium	25mg	1%
Total Carbohydrate	44g	15%
Dietary Fiber	5g	21%
Sugars	13g	0%
Protein	8g	17%

Vitamin A	1%	•	Vitamin C	2%
Calcium	7%	•	Iron	10%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calories needs.courtesy of cronometer.com using my data.