Ingredients

1  1/2 c. oatmeal

1 c. buttermilk (1 % fat)

2  1/2 c. flour of your choice

4 tsp. baking powder

1 c. fresh or frozen blueberries (if frozen, do not thaw)

zest of 1 orange

1/2  c. softened 95 % fat-free cream cheese

1 c. unsweetened orange juice

1/2 c. liquid honey

3 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Soak oatmeal in buttermilk.

Beat together cream cheese, juice, honey and eggs.

Mix together flour and baking powder. Stir in zest.

Add liquid mixture to dry, stirring only till blended.

Gently fold in blueberries.

Fill paper-lined muffin tins 2/3 full and bake until tester comes out clean. Approx. 15 minutes.

Note: Because my muffin recipes are lower in fat, sometimes the muffins stick to the liner so I spray the liners before filling.

I also add the blueberries in at the end, otherwise, if they are frozen, they will make the batter blue in colour.

Enjoy avocado?  Here is a recipe I think you will enjoy- A special salad for a special occassion.

Strawberry & Avocado Salad

Ingredients-

1 clove grated garlic

1 tsp. honey

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 tbsp. raspberry vinegar

1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp. olive oil

15 oz. bag baby spinach

2 handfuls strawberries ( sliced)

1 avocado ( peeled, pitted and sliced)

2 slices bacon ( cooked and crumbled,  (optional)

1 handful crumbled blue cheese

1 handful chopped pecans

Directions

1. Mix garlic, honey, mustard, vinegar and oil

2. Assemble salad and toss with dressing.

Enjoy!

PUMPKIN RAISIN MUFFINS (pg. 53 Muffins From the Heart)

Ever find yourself with just a little buttermilk left in the carton, your flour tin almost empty? Be flexible. Try going half and half…

3 cups whole wheat flour  ( half white unbleached, half whole wheat)

1 tbsp. baking powder

2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. cinnamon ( half cinnamon, half ground cloves) Pumpkin spice could also be substituted.

1 c. pure pumpkin

1/2 c. cleaned, dried raisins ( half raisins, half dates)

1/2 c. chopped walnuts ( optional)

1/4 c. canola oil ( half oil, half applesauce)

2/3 cup liquid honey ( half honey, half sugar)

4 eggs or egg substitute (2 eggs, 2 tbsp. flax seed egg substitute)

1/4 low-fat milk ( half skim milk, half  buttermilk)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together flour, b powdeer, b soda and spices. Stir in raisins and walnuts if using.

Beat together pumpkin, oil and applesauce, honey, applesauce, eggs and milk.

add liquid mixture to dry ingredients, stirring only till blended.

Prepare muffin tins ans mini loaf pans.  Fill to size of your choice.  Bake until tester comes out clean.

Just for variety, I made half the batter into muffins and half into mini loaves.

After cooled, I topped with a green top hat in honour of Saint. Patricks Day.

Ingredients

1/2 c. liquid honey

1/2 c. butter, margarine or oil

1 tablespoon pure vanilla

2 eggs or egg substitute

1  1/2 cup gluten-free flour

1 tsp. baking soda

3 c. pure oats  (Lara’s  from Cream Hill Estates) - certified gluten-free *

1/4 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

Variation: If not using a date filling, add 1/4 c. raisins to cookie mixture.

* This oatmeal is quite course so I like to break down a little by pulsing a few times in a food processor.  Don’t over pulse or you’ll end up with oat flour)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat first 4 ingredients. Sift flour and soda. Add to first mixture. Stir in remaining ingredients, one at a time.  Scoop onto a non-stick pan. Press lightly with tines of a fork. Bake 10 min.

Date Filling

2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 c. water

1 1/2 c. pitted, cleaned, chopped dates.

Combine above ingredients and cook until thick. Cool.  Make cookie sandwiches as needed.

To enjoy more of the recipes in Cookies Naturally gluten-free,  see web site order page for Cookies Naturally and The Gluten-free Companion to Cookies Naturally.