saturday morning {gluten free, sugar free & vegan banana mini muffins}

I hope everyone is enjoying their Saturday morning and Easter weekend! Today I spent time on my patio drinking tea, readings mags {old & new} and nibbling on gluten free, sugar free & vegan banana mini muffins. I used the banana bread recipe adapted by babycakes cookbook and decided to turn it into mini muffins {I was desperate for any form of bread or pastry}.  I  added freshly ground nutmeg and cardamom {two of my favorites when baking breads}. And...a few chocolate chips {second photograph} made their way into half the muffins for the people not on the cleanse who wanted a bite.  Recipe to follow with my changes...

Ingredients:

2 cups bob's red mill gluten-free all-purpose baking flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup coconut oil, plus more for the pan

2/3 cup agave nectar

2/3 cup rice milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

6 medium bananas, peeled and mashed

*fresh nutmeg

*cardamom

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease mini muffin pan with coconut oil.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the flower, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, salt, and cinnamon.  Add 1/2 cup oil and the agave nectar, rice milk, and vanilla to the dry ingredients.  Stir until the bater is smooth.  Using a plastic spatula, gently fold in the bananas until they are evenly distributed throughout the batter {add chocolate chips or nuts at this time}.  Pour the batter into the prepared mini muffin pan.  Bake the muffins for about 20 minutes rotating the pan half way.  Insert a tooth pick into muffin, when it comes out clean it's done.  Let cool on rack.  Store at room temperature covered with plastic wrap up to 3 days. 

*find more about the cleanse including shopping list & recipes  here