Muffin Recipe Cautionary Tale

In my quest to find gluten free grains I brought a box of Amaranth flakes cereal. When I ate the first bowl I realized they do not meet my stay-crispy-until-I'm-finished test.

But I'm always in waste-not-want-not mode so I couldn't throw the box out. Lucky for me there's a muffin recipe on the back.

 

Wheat-Free Amaranth Muffins Recipe

The following muffin recipe is from a box of Arrowhead Mills Amaranth Flakes Cereal. Level of Preparation: Easy Total Prep Time: 25 minutes

• 2 Cups Arrowhead Mills Amaranth Flakes, lightly crushed
• 1 1/2 tsp orange peel, grated
• 1 tbsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp Hain Sea Salt
• 2 cups Arrowhead Mills Pastry Flour
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1 1/2 cups milk or WestSoy Soymilk Drink

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl, mix dry ingredients together.
3. In a small bowl, combine liquid ingredients together.
4. Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients and gently mix just until moistened.
5. Quickly spoon batter into lightly oiled muffin pan.
6. Fill cups 3/4 full.
7. bake for 12-15 minute or until done.
8. Remove muffins from pan and cool before serving.

Gwen's Not-Right Amaranth Muffin Recipe

Making the muffins was a spur of the moment decision so I didn't have the exact ingredients the recipe dictated. But I never let that stop me. I made the muffins with substitutions and they were good. The other 2 members of my family liked them also! It's a miracle.

2 Cups Arrowhead Mills Amaranth Flakes, lightly crushed orange peel, grated (I didn't measure - just grated until I was tired of doing it) 1 tbsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 2 cups spelt flour (another experimental buy I've been looking for something to do with) 1/2 cup maple syrup 2 cups Oat "milk" aka non-dairy beverage (I'm off cow's milk & don't trust soy) 1/2 cup craisins 1/2 cup chopped walnuts Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. mix dry ingredients together In a separate bowl, combine liquid ingredients Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients and mix spoon batter into baking cups or a lightly oiled muffin pan (the cups kill the need for clean up) Fill cups more than 3/4 full but not all the way to the top bake until done about 15 minutes (check by inserting a tooth pick - if it comes out clean you're done - but you knew that). Remove muffins from pan and cool before serving.

Gluten Free vs Wheat Free

Beware of not-right packaging ...

I didn't read the box closely enough. The phrase "wheat free" is prominent on the Arrowhead Mills Amaranth Flakes Multi-grain Cereal box. I assumed "gluten free" since amaranth is "consistent with a gluten-free diet" according to the Celiac Sprue Association a non-profit set up to help people with celiac disease and other gluten based illnesses.

The box's small print states that the "Amaranth seeds are deliciously combined with oats, brown rice, corn, and rye ...." Oats and rye contain gluten.

Spelt also contains gluten so the Arrowhead Mills Amaranth muffin recipe is wrong, wrong, wrong for a gluten free diet.

Amaranth Redo

I'd really like to have gluten-free muffins that I like so I'm going to try the amaranth muffin recipe again with REAL gluten free products.

To facilitate this little project I sent for a catalog from Bob's Red Mill - http://www.bobsredmill.com/

I've purchased a few of their products from Whole Foods and they claim ... "Bob's Red Mill Natural Foods produces more than 400 products, including a full line of certified gluten free products and an extensive line of certified organic products." The catalog is worth sending for.

Once I get a bag of gluten free flour I'll need to find another muffin recipe or two to convert to gluten free. I'll let you know how my cooking adventures go.