JBR's Banana Pecan Muffins (Gluten-Free)

Dear Readers,

I love pecans. But, first of all if you are allergic to pecans, like my Catherine & Mary are, then substitute some other nuts or omit them entirely in this recipe. Nuts are not crucial in life. And, you don't want to miss out on these muffins according to my friend JBR. We ate these muffins for our morning snack all week at work. She loved them and raved about their taste. I strongly liked them. So, I'm naming them after her. I find the gluten-free flours to have an odmd texture I'm not used to and they seem a little crumbly to me. I don't imagine I'm the only person who's experimented with gluten-free to express these same two concerns. I used the Bob's Red Mill brand Gluten-Free All Purpose Baking Flour. I omitted the Xanthum gum that most gluten-free baking recipes call for because it's like $16 for a small bag and that's totally out of my budget these days! Maybe that's why they were slightly crumbly. Regardless, the flavors were great and I felt good about eating them because they were gluten-free. Enjoy!


In Health,
Miss Jolie Ann









JBR's Gluten-Free Banana Pecan Muffins
Makes 10-12 muffins

1/3 cup canola oil
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup honey
3 ripe bananas, mashed
1 3/4 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped pecans












1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a muffin pan.
2. In a small bowl combine the canola oil, eggs, vanilla and honey. Beat with whisk until well mixed and fluffy. Add the bananas and stir until combined.
3. In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir until well mixed.
4. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture in your large bowl. Stir until combined. Do not over mix. Add the pecans and stir.
5. I like big muffins so I use about 1/3 cup batter to each muffin tin. (And, really, who doesn't like big muffins??) Fill the muffin pan with all the batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Let cool only a little before eating. Optional serve with butter or vegan spread. Extras keep well in the refrigerator for about 3 days.

Orange-Pecan Skillet Millet

Orange-Pecan Skillet Millet
Recipe from Mollie Katzen Online

Hi folks, this month I experimented a couple of times with cooking millet. I had some leftover from a cauliflower-millet casserole (that turned out disgusting by the way) so I was excited to try this new millet recipe. I found this orange-pecan skillet millet recipe at www.molliekatzen.com. It looks like it was adapted from a recipe originally in Sunlight Cafe by Mollie Katzen. While this recipe was cooking, boy did my kitchen smell DELICIOUS! The combination of vanilla and orange was absolutely heavenly. Once prepared I added a little unsweetened plain soymilk and a banana. I ate the leftovers for breakfast about 4 mornings. You should definitely try this recipe for a new breakfast/brunch treat!
In Health,
Miss Jolie Ann

Orange-Pecan Skillet Millet

4-6 servings

1 cup millet

1 tbsp butter

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract (I used alcohol-free pure vanilla)

2 cups orange juice

1/2 cup minced pecans, lightly toasted

1. Place the millet in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse well under running water. Set aside to drain.

2. Place a 10 inch skillet over medium heat and wait about 1 minute. Add the butter and, as it melts, swirl to coat the pan.

3. Sprinkle in the drained millet and the salt, and turn the heat to medium-high. Saute the millet for 5 minutes, or until it begins to brown slightly and gives off a toasty aroma.

4. Add the vanilla to the orange juice, then slowly pour this mixture into the hot pan, about 1/2 cup at a time, waiting after each addition for the liquid to begin bubbling.

5. Cover the pan, and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook undisturbed for 15 minutes, then remove the lid and stir the millet from the bottom of the pan, so the grains get redistributed. Replace the lid, and cook for another 15 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed and the millet is tender. Remove the pan from the heat, and fluff the millet with a fork. If the millet is too crunchy for your taste, add about 3 tbsp of water, cover the pan, and let it cook for another 5 to 10 minutes over very low heat. (MJA's note: I would do this extra cooking next time to make the millet less crunchy!)

6. Stir in the pecans, and serve hot or warm-plain or with a little honey and/or milk drizzled on top.

Spicy Toasted Pecans

I got this recipe from epicurious.com and cooked up a batch for my Christmas Eve Party. They were so delicious I've been making them ever since and eat them as a great mid-day snack. I think I love them so much because they remind me of the flavors in the "chex-mix" my mom whipped for family holiday get-togethers during my childhood.

In Health,
Miss Jolie Ann

Spicy Toasted Pecans

Yields 2.5 cups

3 tbsp organic butter

1/2 tsp vegetarian Worcestershire sauce (try Annie's brand)

1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce

1/4 tsp organic black pepper

1/4 tsp organic sea salt

2.5 cups organic pecan halves (about 10 oz.)

Place oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375 degrees

Melt butter in a sauce-pan over moderate heat, then stir in the Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, pepper and salt. Remove pan from the heat and add the pecans, tossing to coat well.

Spread pecan mixture in one layer on a baking sheet or shallow baking pan. Bake until fragrant and a shade darker, about 8-10 minutes.

Serve warm or at room temperature. Once cooled they can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.