Last blog I made reference to the number of variations for my recipes especially in Cookies Naturally and Muffins From the Heart. These variations include wheat-free, gluten-free, diabetic, lower-fat/higher fibre, allergy-friendly etc.  Here is an example :

Banana Pineapple Muffins pg. 30     ( no milk )  

Ingredients:

3 c. regular unbleached white, whole-wheat , *wheat-free or gluten-free flour

2 tsp. b powder (gluten-free for a celiac diet)

2 tsp. b soda

1/4 -1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 c. unsweetened coconut

1/4- 1/2 c. canola oil or applesauce or combination of the two

1/2 c. liquid honey, 1/4 c. for diabetic  or Splenda  (Splenda is mixed in with dry ingredients. Add back some  liquid, in this recipe, pineapple juice, to replace moisture had honey been used)

2 large eggs or 4 egg whites or egg substitiute eg. 2 tsp. zanthan gum 

2 tsp. pure vanilla

2 c. mashed very ripe bananas (6 large)

1 c. drained, crushed, unsweetened pineapple

Method:Preheat  oven to 375 degrees for regular muffins ,  350 degrees for gluten-free.

Mix together first 4 ingredients. Stir in coconut. Beat together oil or applesauce, honey, eggs and vanilla.

Stir mashed banana and pineapple into liquid ingredients.

Add liquid mixture to dry ingredients stirring only until blended. (Remember muffin batter should be lumpy not smooth.)

Fill muffin liners about 3/4 full for reg muffins, 1/2 full for diabetic, but fill to top for gluten- free variation as there is little rising in gluten- free muffins.

Bake regular size about 20 minutes , 15 min for diabetic, and 35  for gluten-free, (10-15 min. longer than a regular muffin. ) Oven temperatures vary so use a tester and remove muffins from oven when tester comes out clean. Check during baking and make note of time takes in your oven.

* Home-mixed Gluten-free flour mixture : 2  1/4 c. rice flour and 3/4 c. cornstarch, arrowroot, or potato starch. Sift 3 times or pulse in a food processor.  Note- this is to replace the 3 cups in this recipe). Gluten-free flour is avaiable commercially. I also have several mix choices in my muffin book.

All recipes have nutrient analysis for regular, lower fat, and diabetic variations as well as diabetic food choices.

Wheat-Free- equal ratio of rye, oat and barley flours (This mixture is comercially avaiable.)

Recently I went to see Julie and Julia as friends of mine thought I would enjoy the show having gone through the process of writing several cookbooks.

My recipes are not  sophisticated or French, however, I could identify with Julie and her testing calendar countdown. Although I had fewer recipes to test, I had many variations that needed to be tested. For example, in Muffins From the Heart,  most recipes have four variations which had to be tested- regular, wheat-free, diabetic, and gluten-free.

I also remember the failures and frustrations and going back to the drawing board so to speak if the recipe didn’t work for some reason eg. had too many carbs for the diabetic version.

My family also had nothing but cookies for dessert while I was testing the recipes in Cookies Naturally and later muffins for breakfast, lunch and supper while I tested recipes for Muffins From the Heart.

Unlike Julia, who became famous for her cookbooks, I am still waiting for fame to come my way.:)Maybe next week!

Watch my next blog for one of my many multiple variation  recipes.