Gluten Free/vegan banana muffins

So life has been totally insane around here...hmm I guess that's not really surprising since this blog is Living Life on the Funny Farm. Gram has had a rough week or two, which if you have dealt with anyone with dementia you will totally understand. I had been around Alzheimer's and Dementia on occasion before moving Gram in, but I really had no grasp of what family members that are caregivers go through. By the time I get the kids and her too bed at night it's all I can do to change into my pj's and crawl into bed before sliding into unconsciousness.
But anyway life moves on and when stressed we need comfort in the form of yummy food. Well with the poor oldest monkey now having to eliminate wheat, my baking has had to change some. So from my heart and kitchen to yours banana muffins that lose the allergens but none of the yummy yummy goodness!

We start by mashing up a couple of bananas and throwing in 1/2 cup of applesauce. 

 Then a tsp of vanilla because vanilla makes so many things tasty. I prefer actual vanilla to imitation, but really either one works. Add the sugars and all is happy in mashed banana land.

A neighbor gave me some Bob's Red Mill baking flour so I used that, but I have to say I like mine better. It worked so if you want to use it you can, but I will include my baking mix recipe on here and if you are able, I would suggest using it. It's also very easily customizable (is that a word? I'm not really sure, but it sounds cool, so I'm gonna roll with it) to your own needs. I need a new sifter so I just throw the salt and stuff in with the flour and fluff it with a fork. I know chefs everywhere are shaking there heads in disgust, but I'm broke so unless you want to send me a new sifter deal with the way I make things work. 

So after mixing it all, I truly HATE cleaning muffin pans so I always use liners. It just makes life sooooooooo! much easier. Plus you can throw them in the compost bin, which means it's a win win. And because I'm me and I constantly sing to myself while putting in the liners I have to sing the Muffin Man You totally have to check out this video because I so look like this little girl while I'm singing and putting the liners in. Yes my kids have accepted their mom is totally NUTSO! And now I'm singing I'm a nut. Yes I know focus, banana muffins, focus...... sigh you are seeing a small glimpse into my world and if you are still reading not running scared, kudos to you my friend, kudos to you. Do people even say kudos anymore?

Ok moving on bake 25 min, and Voila, aren't they beautiful? Of course I kill the vegan thing that is necessary for baby monkey when I slather mine in butter. I only make 12 of the GF so that they are full and pretty looking. 

So on to the recipe yes I finally got there and yes this really is how my brain works, it is such a wonder I ever get anything done. 

Best ever Free of everything Banana Muffins

2 medium very very ripe bananas

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar ( I prefer raw)

1/2 cup applesauce (can add a third banana in place of this)

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups GF flour blend

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

and of course 1/2- 1 cup chopped nuts are optional as with the regular flour ones

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mash bananas really well with fork, mix in applesauce, sugar and vanilla. Sift (if you have a sifter otherwise fluff well with fork) together dry ingredients. Stir in gradually. Poor mixture into 12 lined muffin cups. Fill about 3/4 full divide it evenly between the 12. Bake for 25-30 min until toothpick inserted into middle of middle muffin comes out clean. Let cool on cooling rack for about 5 min then remove from muffin pan and enjoy warm or let cool completely. Just the smell alone is comfort at it's finest in my opinion. 

GF flour blend

2 cups combo of primary GF flours*

2/3 cup Tapioca Flour

1/3 cup Potato Starch

1tsp Xanthem Gum

Mix well. I put them all in a jar attach the lid and shake like crazy then measure out what I need for the recipe. 

*options that I use most

top for these muffins is 1 1/2 cup Oat Flour and 1/2 cup Coconut Flour

others are as follows:

1 cup almond and 1 cup coconut

1 1/2 cup Oat and 1/2 cup sorghum

1/2 cup almond, 1/2 cup coconut, 1/2 cup oat, 1/2 cup sorghum

1 cup oat, 1/2 cup garbanzo bean, 1/2 cup sorghum

Use whatever works best for your dietary needs. I have never used rice flour. Due to Oldest Monkey's very severe rice allergy I would never have it in the house at all. I'm sure you could substitute it in a blend, though I couldn't say how much to make it taste right. All theses blends as the two cups of primary flour are tried and proven in my recipes. My mom also successfully just uses 2 cups of oat flour. I prefer a blend myself. 

As a bonus, here is a picture of the muffins I made using a third banana in place of the applesauce. They weren't as pretty but they did taste really good still.

Enjoy my friends, and as always please do no claim this recipe as your own or try to sell it. Feel free to use an image to link back to this post and share away on Pinterest, Facebook, or wherever. You can sell muffins made using this recipe as long as you do not claim the recipe as your own. God bless and enjoy. 

 In honor of my son's birthday which is in 8 hours I leave you with one more song. This is his favorite and I must admit one I actually am entertained no matter how many times I watch; The Duck Song, if you haven't seen it before you must watch it is a lot of fun :)   

Vegan Banana Muffins

So I'm not vegan, but I felt that was the best way to classify these muffins. The oldest monkey is allergic to Rice, Soy and Wheat, the monkey princess is allergic to Poppy Seeds, the baby monkey is allergic to dairy and soy and I am allergic to eggs, chicken and turkey. This is why I started getting really creative in the kitchen. There is basically nothing store bought that we can eat! Of course it's healthier making everything but there are those moments where I'd give anything to be able to just swing by a fast food place or throw a frozen pizza in the oven. Alas that is not in the cards for us.

I had all these grand plans of writing a cook book and I still may but for now I've decided to share my yummy concoctions with the world via this blog. Please do not claim this recipe for your own or try to publish it anywhere without permission or linking this blog. I appreciate it! I will post the gluten free version soon.

Vegan Banana Muffins

1/2 cup Canola Oil (can substitute safflower, sunflower or coconut in liquid form)
1/2 cup Applesauce ( I like the tree top original single serving cups, just dump the whole thing in.)
3 Mashed medium size very ripe bananas
1 tsp Vanilla
1/2 cup loosely packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup raw cane sugar granules (regular white sugar can be used)

2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder

optional 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cupcake liners in 16 regular sized muffin cups. In medium bowl mash ripe bananas with a fork. Add in oil, applesauce and vanilla mix with spoon. Add in sugars and mix well. Sift in flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder. Mix just till flour is no longer visible, be careful not to over-mix. If adding nuts either mix them in now or sprinkle on top of batter after it is in muffin cups. Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 full.
Bake for 15-20 min until toothpick comes out clean.

I will have to add mid-process pictures next batch I make, Today was a stressful day and I didn't think to take a picture till they came out of the oven.

Memorial Day

Memorial Day weekend has become just another weekend to drink and party to so many Americans. But to a few, the few who have lost a Mother a Father a Son a Daughter a Brother or a Sister in defense of our FREEDOM, it is so much more than that.

This day is set aside not for seeing how many beers we can down while the grill heats up, but to remember. To remember those brave men and women who throughout the history of this great country have made the ultimate sacrifice, that of their lives.

Living in a family with ties to all branches of the Armed Forces I've always felt it important to teach the kids the reason we have a Memorial Day, and just how important it is to honor the memories of those selfless men and women who gave their all.

This year is our first year in Arizona so we had a new National Veteran's Cemetery to go to, the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona, just north of Phoenix. It was a very happy surprise to find that there were many other people of all ages at the cemetery showing their respect. We don't do much but we do lay flowers on gravestones with none.....

Stand up fallen graveside flags....

And in yesterdays case clean off gravel that had gotten kicked onto some of the headstones....

It's not much and it's only a few hours out of every Memorial Day, but I hope that as my kids grow they will hold onto this tradition and do their part in keeping the lives of our Armed Forces fresh in the minds of future generations.

Thank you to all the families of those Men and Women. Our hearts break with you and we thank you, because the Sacrifice you made is just as great. Our prayers are with you! To all you who currently are serving or who have served in the past thank you for being willing to make that sacrifice.

God Bless America!

New Upholstery for the Love Seat

No it's not really a farm but more often than not I feel like I live at the Funny Farm...where life is beautiful all the time and I'll be happy to see those nice young men in their clean white coats and they're coming to take me away haha.... (yes I know the song is disturbing but what can I say)

Anyhoo enough singing from me.

I finally finished reuhpolstering.. umm,, is that how you say it or is it just redoing the upholstery? Hmmm, okay, focus. The love seat that my bestie gave me; that was in desperate need of a makeover, is now all beautious. Of course heaven forbid I use my brain and actually remember to take a before picture. So here is one where it is in the background.  In the front of the picture is the beautiful monkey princess playing with Cocoa and Patches, guinea pigs extraordinaire.

Progress was slow it took me a week to complete, thankfully we didn't have any visitors while my love seat was mid process!

Then finally today.... Celebrate, Good Times Come On.....there I go singing again, but at least I'm not alone because I know as you read this you're singing right along with me. And if you have no idea what I'm talking about please for the love of music click on the link. 

Well it's far from perfect, but I am really happy with how it turned out. The printed fabric is Signature Series Damask Chestnut from Joann Fabric and the dark brown I found in the clearance section so I have no idea what it was. The trim around the inlay (I'm guessing that's what you would call it) on the front of the arms is the Chocolate Brown 3/4" Braided Gimp.

I have to admit that I hope to never have to do that again, boy it was a lot of work. The 3 monkeys love it, but they think they should show that love by jumping up and down on it. Sigh, I think I'll cry big crocodile tears when it gets it's first rip. And on that note to bed I go because there is no convincing the monkey princes that Saturday means sleeping in.