Life flies past us so quickly, and sometimes I’m certain the sound of the wind is actually the sound of life flying by. That’s the way it’s felt lately; a whirling blur, a constant hum, non-stop motion. Since my last post in August, I’ve gone on a 14-state road trip, moved from the East Coast back to my beautiful California, and re-entered the corporate world after a year-long hiatus. My husband quit his job to launch a graphic design business, we found a goat living on our new property, summer faded away into the brilliance of autumn, and I discovered almond flour.
Yes, that’s it. I discovered almond flour. Extraordinary, delicious, versatile almond flour.
It’s not cheap — I paid about $35 for 5 pounds from my local co-op — but I’ve never enjoyed gluten-free baked goods more. A single cup of almond flour provides the following nutrients:
- 140% of the RDA for vitamin E
- 80% of the RDA for magnesium
- 60% of the RDA for phosphorus
- 48% of the RDA for protein
- 32% of the RDA of calcium
- 16% of the RDA for folic acid
There’s more. Almond flour also makes the best banana-nut bread/muffins ever.
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I’m in love with these muffins. No, it’s not just that. I’m in love with coming home to the West Coast where I belong, with seeing the gnarled oak branches reach up into the California sky, hearing the sounds of coyotes outside my tall windows at night, taking in the the scent of the hardwood fire smoke curling up out of the chimney, watching the shadows of the firelight as they’re reflected across the scratched wood floors, and savoring the life I’ve been given. The discovery of almond flour coincides with all that — the resdiscovery of my beautiful California.
Gluten-free Banana Nut Muffins with Almond Flour
1 cup finely-ground almond flour
1 cup white rice flour or other gluten-free flour
1/2 cup milk or milk-substitute of choice
1 organic egg
1 ripe organic banana, mashed with a fork
2 tablespoons olive oil or melted coconut oil
2 tablespoons sustainable palm sugar or organic beet sugar
1 teaspoon corn-free Featherweight baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon non-irradiated cinnamon
Whisk ingredients together until smooth.
Grease muffin tin well, using coconut oil or Spectrum Organic Shortening. Fill tins 2/3 full, and sprinkle with sugar if desired. Bake at 375 F for approximately 17 minutes, or until muffins are peaked and browned, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Seal and refrigerate leftovers, as they will dry considerably if left out uncovered.
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First image via Sweetbeanandgreenbean; second image via RyanoVineyards. Both on Flickr under Creative Commons Licenses.
I also love almond flour and recently came to California from the east coast. The muffins sound delightful, with a flax egg to make them vegan, of course.
The Banana Nut Almond Flour Muffins sound like a tasty source for a healthful treat! The recipe as well as Gina Munsey’s insightful information inspires me. I will soon bake the almond flour muffins for a breakfast heaped with nutrition.