Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

These muffins are beautiful.

Is it weird to say that?

Oh, well. I think that they are. And they taste even better than they look, too. Moist, fluffy and full of banana and chocolate flavor, I know that I will be making these muffins many times in the future!

And another great thing about these muffins is how uncomplicated they are to throw together. All that it is needed is a bit of time, some simple steps, and you will end up with a bunch of delicious muffins that look (and taste) like they have come from your favorite bakery.

These muffins really are beautiful, aren't they?

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

• 3 Tablespoons Water
• 1 Tablespoon Flaxseed Meal
• 1/2 Cup Butter, softened
• 3/4 Cup Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 2 Tablespoons Sour Cream
• 1 Cup Banana, mashed (2 to 3 bananas)
• 1 1/4 Cup Brown Rice Flour
• 3/4 Cup Cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon Xanthan Gum
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 3/4 Cup Chocolate Chips

1. Heat water for about 20 seconds in microwave. Add flaxseed meal to it and set aside 10 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. In a medium bowl combine brown rice flour, cornstarch, xanthan gum, baking soda and salt.
4. In the bowl of your mixer combine butter and sugar. Beat until creamy.
5. Add flax-egg and vanilla to the butter mixture and beat until combined.
6. Add the sour cream and mashed banana and beat again.
7. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and beat until combined once more.
8. Stir in 1/2 cup chocolate chips.
9. Line a muffin tin with 12 muffin wrappers, or grease it. Fill each hole almost to the top and sprinkle batter with chocolate chips.
10. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes.

Adapted from this recipe.

It's crazy to think that the new year is coming so soon. Just two more days, and 2015 will be over.

Even though I am so, so excited for all that lies ahead in 2016, it always feels strange to say goodbye to year. 

What about you? Are you looking forward to the year ahead? Do you have anything special planned?

-Bethany

Merry Christmas!

“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord."

Luke 2:10-11

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you have a great day filled with food and family, and that you realize and appreciate the greatest gift that we could ever receive - Jesus.
-Bethany

Chocolate Chip And M&M Chickpea Cookies

Soft, moist and packed with chocolate, these chocolate chip and M&M chickpea cookies are sure to be a big hit.

This recipe is great for Christmastime when you want to feel a bit better about yourself and all of the treats that you are eating, or for any time of the year when you want to munch on something a bit healthier than the average cookie.

Don't let yourself feel afraid to make these because of the use of chickpeas. I promise that you won't taste them. These cookies taste just as good - if not better - than the average cookie.

Chocolate Chip And M&M Chickpea Cookies 

• 2 cups Chickpeas (or one can)
• 1/3 Cup Brown Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/8 teaspoon Salt
• 1/4 Cup M&Ms
• 1/4 Cup White Chocolate Chips

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 
2. In the bowl of a food processor, combine drained chickpeas, butter, brown sugar, vanilla extract, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Blend, scraping down sides occasionally, until smooth. 
3. Transfer the dough to a bowl and fold in the chocolate chips and M&Ms.
4. Scoop onto parchment lined cookie sheets and bake for 12 to 15 minutes.
5. Makes about 18 cookies.

If you are looking for more Christmas recipes, or if you have some of your own to share, then please check out my Christmas Treat Link Up!

-Bethany

Homemade "Peanut Butter" Cups

If you are a big fan of peanut butter cups, but you can't have peanut butter, then you should definitely make these treats this Christmas!

They are creamy, "peanut buttery" and delicious... but I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

Homemade "Peanut Butter" Cups

• 1/2 Cup Soy Butter (I used WOWBUTTER)
• 2 Tablespoons Butter, softened
• 1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar
• 1 and 1/2 Cup Chocolate Chips

1. Line 24 holes of a mini muffin tin with paper wrappers.
2. Melt 3/4 cup chocolate chips and put a bit in each of the holes, using your fingers (wash hands first) to spread the chocolate over the bottom and halfway up the sides. Stick pan into the fridge when done.
3. In a medium size bowl, combine the soy butter, cutter and powdered sugar, stirring until smooth. 
4. Once chocolate is cooled, add a bit of the soy butter mixture to each hole, dividing it evenly between them.
5. Melt the remaining 3/4 cup chocolate chips and spread over the top of each. Refrigerate until firm. 
6. Remove and take wrappers off of each of them. Eat immediately or store in the refrigerator.

What kind of treats are you making this Christmas season?
-Bethany

Gluten Free Double Chocolate Snowball Cookies

What's more perfect for this time of year than a snowball cookie? 

A double chocolate center with a thick coating of powdered sugar on the outside... does it get better than that?

We haven't had much snow yet this year here in Wisconsin (which I'm very happy about) so these snowballs will have to substitute for the real thing. My nieces loved them. I'm sure you and your family will, too!

Have you started with your Christmas baking yet? If not, or if you are looking for a few more recipes to try, then head on over to my Gluten Free Christmas Treat link up. There are plenty of great recipes there, already, and I would love it if you would add some of your own!

Now for the recipe...

Gluten Free Double Chocolate Snowball Cookies

• 1/2 Cup Butter, softened
• 1/4 Powdered Sugar
• 3 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 3/4 Cup plus 1 Tablespoon White Rice Flour
• 1/4 Cup plus 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon Xanthan Gum
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1/4 Cup plus 2 Tablespoons Mini Chocolate Chips
• 1 to 1 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, measure the white rice flour, cornstarch, xanthan gum and salt. Whisk together.
3. In the bowl of your mixer, combine the butter, 1/4 cup powdered sugar, cocoa and vanilla. Beat until fluffy.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and beat until combined.
5. Stir in the chocolate chips.
6. Line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper, and taking a Tablespoon of the dough at a time, form into balls. Place on the sheets and bake for 7 to 10 minutes.
7. Once done, remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes, until not too hot to pick up.
8. Pour the extra powdered sugar into a bowl and roll each cookie in it. Once they have cooled completely you can go back and roll them again, if desired.

Adapted from this recipe.

How much Christmas shopping do you have done? I'm happy to say that I'm finished. :)
-Bethany

Gluten Free Caramel and Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you love good, soft cookies and all things caramel, these are just the thing for you to make for yourself (or to share, if you're feeling generous.)

These cookies are all that you could ask for of a chocolate chip cookie, and more. The caramel just adds so much to them. No one would ever guess that they are gluten free, nor would they care if they did know. These are that great.

If you are looking for something fun and new to make this holiday season, then you should try these cookies out. Everyone will be sure to be pleased with them!

Gluten Free Caramel and Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter, softened
• 3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
• 1/4 cup White Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Flaxseed Meal
• 3 Tablespoons Hot Water
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 Cup plus 2 Tablespoons Rice Flour
• 2/3 Cup Cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon Xanthan Gum
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 Cup Chocolate Chips
• 1/2 Cup Caramel Bits

1. Heat water in microwave for about twenty seconds. Add flaxmeal to it and let sit for 10 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
3. Meanwhile, combine rice flour, cornstarch, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium size bowl. Whisk to combine.
4. In a separate bowl, beat together the softened butter and sugars.
5. Add to the butter/sugar mixture the flax-egg and the vanilla and combine.
6. Dump the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and beat until combined. Stir in chocolate chips and caramel bits.
7. Scoop out onto baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes.

I hope you enjoy these as much as I did!

-Bethany

p.s. Make sure to add your recipes to my Gluten Free Christmas Treat link up!

Gluten Free Christmas Treat Link Up

I love Christmastime and all of the baking that comes with it. I love putting together a list of recipes that I would like to make and then seeing them come to life. I love surprising my family with a tray holding a variety of fudges, or any other kinds of treat, and I love the warm and cozy atmosphere that Christmas brings.

To me, baking has long been associated with the upcoming season, and if you agree with me on that, or if you would like to get more into baking during Christmastime, then check out the recipes below and link up some of your own!

Since I love Christmas recipes so much, I though that Christmastime would be the perfect time for me to put up a gluten free recipe link up. I'm excited to see what you all share.

• Link up any and all gluten free Christmas treat recipes. 
• Add as many recipes as you like, and be sure to visit some of the other recipes, as well.
• It's not mandatory, but feel free to leave a link back to this post in your post. 

An InLinkz Link-up

I can't wait to see the recipes that you all add!
-Bethany

Gluten Free Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

If you are like me, then you are probably always searching for new treats to make around Christmas. It is fun to surprise loved ones with a new recipe once in a while, especially around Christmas.

These chocolate thumbprint cookies are new to me, and they are the perfect Christmastime treat. They are soft, chewy and have the perfect balance of sweetness and chocolate flavor. Plus, with a dollop of colored frosting on top, they are completely festive and ready for the upcoming holiday season.

These cookies didn't turn out with as deep of an indent as I thought that they would, but it still worked to fill them with frosting, and I think they turned out pretty.

 Who's ready for Christmas to come already?

Gluten Free Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

• 3 Tablespoons Water
• 1 Tablespoon Flaxseed Meal
• 1/2 Cup Butter
• 2/3 Cup Sugar
• 2/3 Cup Brown Rice Flour
• 1/3 Cup Cornstarch
• 1/3 Cup Cocoa Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Xanthan Gum
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt

1. Heat water about 20 seconds in the microwave. Add flaxseed meal to it and set aside 10 minutes.
2. In a medium size bowl whisk together rice flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, xanthan gum and salt.
3. In the bowl of your mixer, combine butter and sugar. Beat until fluffy.
4. Add the flax-egg to the butter/sugar mixture and beat.
5. Add the flour mixture while beating slowly. Beat until all combined.
6. Refrigerate dough at least 20 minutes.
7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
8. Scoop dough by the rounded teaspoon. Form into balls and place on parchment lined baking sheets, using the tip of your finger to make an indent in each.
9. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool and fill with frosting.
10. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Adapted from this recipe.

What new recipes are you excited to try this Christmas season?

-Bethany

Easy Gluten Free Flour Tortillas

These gluten free flour tortillas are amazing. They are soft and roll-able, and they taste especially great when filled with beans, cheese and all of the toppings of your choosing. Plus, they are super easy to throw together! Give them a try and you will be sure to love them.

Easy Gluten Free Flour Tortillas

• 1/2 Cup White Rice Flour
• 1/4 Cup Cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon Xanthan Gum
• 3/4 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1 Tablespoon Butter, heated in microwave about 10 seconds
• 1/4 Cup Water plus up to 2 Tablespoons more

1. Whisk together the dry ingredients.
2. Add the softened butter and mix in with fork or fingers. Add the water, enough until a soft, sticky ball forms.
3. Divide into 3 to 4 balls and roll in rice flour.
4. Cut off two sheets of plastic wrap and sprinkle one with rice flour. Put one ball on top and top with second piece of plastic wrap, roll out, and place the tortilla in a preheated pan. Cook about 30 seconds on each side. Repeat.

Adapted from this recipe.

-Bethany

Fudgy Chocolate Black Bean Cookies

What could be better than a fudgy chocolate cookie?

Chocolate cookies are an indulgence. They are something that most of us feel like eating when we are stressed or when we just want to allow ourselves to have a treat.

So, what if I told you that these cookies are not only fudgy and decadent, but that they are also good for you? Would that make you happy?

I have really gotten into cooking with black beans, chickpeas and NuStevia lately. When I combine the zero calorie sweetener with beans I know that I will be able to create something that will not only be healthy, but that will also be very tasty. And that makes me happy.

These cookies are the perfect, decadent treat. They will satisfy a craving for chocolate and sweets without making you compromise in any way.

So, go ahead and make these cookies the next time that you are craving something sweet and don't want to feel bad about what you are eating. They will be sure to leave you feeling satisfied!

Fudgy Chocolate Black Bean Cookies

• 2 Cups Black Beans, drained
• 2 Tablespoons Oil
• 2 Tablespoons NuStevia Cocoa Syrup
• 2 Tablespoons Water
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 Cup Cocoa Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• Dark chocolate, chopped into pieces (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In the bowl of your food processor combine all ingredients besides dark chocolate. Puree until free of lumps.
3. Scoop small portions onto parchment lined baking sheet and flatten slightly.
4. Bake 10 to 12 minutes.

I hope you enjoy them just as much as I did!
-Bethany

Although NuNaturals sent me the products, all of the opinions and the recipe are by me.

p.s. Make sure to check out the NuNaturals GIVEAWAY that I have going on right now!

Celebrating One Year With A NuNaturals Giveaway!

My blog is one year old today, and I am happy to be able to post my first giveaway today to celebrate that fact!

NuNaturals has given me the opportunity to provide four lucky readers with a prize pack of the company's great sugar free products, which is valued at $70.00. I have had a lot of fun using the NuStevia products from this brand recently, and you might have noticed my recipes for Double Chocolate Black Bean Muffins, Sugar Free Chocolate Black Bean Fudge and my older recipe of Black Bean Brownies. If you think any of those recipes look appealing, or if you would like to see what you can come up with on your own, then you are going to want to enter the giveaway to try to win these great products!

Double Chocolate Black Bean Muffins

 Sugar Free Chocolate Black Bean Fudge

My brother recently helped me to put together a video of me making my Black Bean Brownie recipe using NuNaturals NuStevia Simple Syrup. You can view it below.

So, go ahead and enter below to win some of these great sugar free products for yourself!

Four winners will each receive a prize pack.
The prize packs include: One bottle of Vanilla Stevia Liquids, a 50 pkt box of NuStevia No-Carbs Stevia Powder packets, a bottle of Sugar-Free Cocoa Syrup and a bottle of Sugar-Free Mint Cocoa Syrup. Each winner will also receive a free bonus item! Entire package is valued at $70.00 retail. 



a Rafflecopter giveaway

If you want you can also enter discount cod;  BLG1215  when ordering on NuNaturals' site and you will receive a 15% on your entire order. Code is good until December 31st 2015.

Good luck!
-Bethany

All opinions are my own. NuNaturals is responsible for giving out the prizes. Giveaway ends on November 15 2015. Winners will be notified via email.

One Year Blog Anniversary

One year ago tomorrow I posted the first recipe on this blog. It has been a great journey so far, and I can't wait to see this blog keep growing.

It has been fun to be able to share good gluten free recipes with everyone and to be able to learn through doing that. I have been doing more cooking and baking in this past year than ever before, and it has been great.

Here are a few of the recipes that have been the most popular on my blog during this first year.

Homemade Creamy Gluten Free Mac And Cheese

Easy Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Banana Cookies

Red Velvet Chickpea Cookies

And last but not least... Gluten Free Chocolate Brownie Cookies

I have discovered so many new, great foods over the past year, and I hope that everyone has enjoyed the recipes as much as I have! It has been a great year of learning, baking, cooking and eating. 

Here's to another great year of blogging gluten free foods that taste just as good as any gluten-filled foods!

-Auntie Bethany

p.s. Stay tuned for a giveaway tomorrow! Hint: it's something that you'll all love! ;)

Gluten Free/Egg Free Double Chocolate Black Bean Muffins

I have been using black beans in a lot of dessert recipes lately, and these muffins have to be one of the best things that I have made. They are moist, have just the right amount of sweetness, and are packed with chocolate.

Plus, since these have NuNatural's NuStevia Cocoa Syrup in the muffin batter instead of sugar, and black beans in place of flour, they actually aren't too bad for you, making them the perfect breakfast treat.

Don't they look good enough to eat?

I had to bite into another "just" for the sake of the picture after having had one already that day.

And it tasted just as great as the first!

Linking up to Five Friday Finds.

If you want to make these muffins completely sugar free, or vegan, then you can go ahead and skip the chocolate chips. They should have a good chocolate flavor without them, they just won't be as packed with chocolate.

Double Chocolate Black Bean Muffins

• 9 Tablespoons Water, heated
• 3 Tablespoons Flaxseed Meal
• 2 Cups Black Beans, drained
• 2 Tablespoons NuStevia Cocoa Syrup
• 2 Tablespoons Oil
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 Cup Cocoa Powder
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 Cup Chocolate Chips, optional

1. Heat the nine Tablespoons of water for about 30 seconds in the microwave and add flaxseed meal to it. Set aside 10 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Line a 12 cup muffin tin.
4. Combine black beans, NuStevia Cocoa Syrup, oil, vanilla extract, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in the bowl of your food possessor. Add flax-eggs to it when ready, and then puree it all until nice and smooth.
5. Stir in the chocolate chips.
6. Scoop into lined muffin tin and bake for 25 to 28 minutes.

Adapted from this recipe.

Enjoy! I know I did. :)
-Bethany

Although NuNaturals sent me the products, all of the opinions and the recipe are by me.

Gluten Free/Egg Free Pumpkin Butterscotch Chip Cookies

Kimberly from Just Add Sprinkles always has such great recipes on her blog, and when I saw that she had posted a recipe for Pumpkin Butterscotch Chip Cookies I knew that I needed to give them a gluten free twist.

I took these cookies and made them gluten free, egg free and with a bit less cinnamon than the original recipe called for (since that's my personal preference.) They turned out really great. Chewy, moist and packed with butterscotch chips. These are the perfect Fall treat!

This is one of those recipes that you are going to have to be patient on or make ahead of time (since the dough has to chill in the freezer for 2 hours or more) but it is so worth it. My nieces and nephew loved them.

Gluten Free/Egg Free Pumpkin Butterscotch Chip Cookies

• 1 1/2 Tablespoons Water
• 1/2 Tablespoon Flaxseed Meal
• 1/4 Cup Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
• 1/4 Cup Sugar
• 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
• 3/4 Cup plus 2 Tablespoons White Rice Flour
• 1/4 Cup plus 3 Tablespoons Cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1/2 teaspoon Xanthan Gum
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 3 Tablespoons Pumpkin Puree
• 1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon (add a bit more, or some pumpkin spice, if desired)
• 3/4 Cup Butterscotch Chips (make sure they are gluten free)

1. Heat the water in the microwave for about 15 seconds. Add the flaxseed meal to it and set aside for about 10 minutes.
2. In a bowl, measure out the rice flour, cornstarch, baking soda, xanthan gum and salt. Whisk to combine.
3. In the bowl of your mixture combine the butter, sugar and brown sugar. Cream together.
4. Add the flax-egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture and beat to combine. Add the pumpkin puree and cinnamon and beat again.
5. Slowly add in the dry ingredients, beating until thoroughly combined.
6. Fold in the butterscotch chips. 
7. Freeze dough for 2 hours or more.
8. Once ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees and thaw dough for 10 minutes.
9. Scoop onto parchment lined baking sheets and bake for 8-10 minutes.
10. Allow to cool and enjoy (or, if you can't resist them, eat them hot like me and risk a burned tongue.)

Adapted from this recipe.

Happy Autumn!
-Bethany