Gluten-Free Bacon and Green Onion Savory Muffins Recipe

All those myriad gluten-free flours freaked me out for about two years after our family went “low gluten.”

Discovering a gluten sensitivity threw off all my baking routines. I had just figured out how to avoid commercially produced bread, tortillas, and crackers, all by making my own. With whole wheat flour, of course, soaked or sourdough.

Skipping the wheat really messed up the bread.

I started looking up gluten-free recipes, but oh, my! The quantity of flours (and sometimes gums) that I would need to complete them was daunting, particularly because as a frugal girl, I had a hard time buying a $5-8 tiny bag of flour for a recipe I wasn’t even sure I’d like. Then to have to buy multiple flours just to get started? I couldn’t swallow it.

I also wondered about the nutrition of all the GF recipes I was finding – here I had just figured out how to use 100% whole grains AND soak, sprout or sour them so they weren’t leaching minerals from my bones…and I was going to go back to some refined flour and/or unsoaked whole grains?

It didn’t jive with me, so all my baking suddenly became based in coconut flour or almond flour, since those recipes generally called for only one “new to me” flour, even though they were still pricey. I also knew I didn’t have to soak them, so I felt confident that our overall nutrient density wouldn’t be affected. (Our favorite biscuits are in Better Than a Box, and you can get a printable recipe card for grain-free crepes as a freebie right here.)

It took over two years, but I finally accrued a number of gluten-free flours, enough to start trying some recipes.

When I got a “Whole Grain Gluten-Free Muffins” mini eBook from Kimi at The Nourishing Gourmet in the extreme health library eBook sale, I knew it would be one I’d use often. Kimi soaks her grains, and the muffins are delicious.

That book was a springboard for this recipe, and I’m so grateful to finally be baking with whole, gluten-free grains. I hope you enjoy this off-the-beaten-path kind of savory muffin, meant to be served with a soup or just as a side to any meal…perhaps with 4 other kinds of muffins (pictured above)?

Gluten-Free Bacon and Green Onion Savory Muffins

★★★★★5 from 1 reviews

• Author: Katie Kimball

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Ingredients

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• 1/2 c. brown rice flour
• 1/2 c. teff flour
• 1/4 c. sorghum flour
• 3/4 c. milk (or water)
• 1 Tbs. whey (or apple cider vinegar)
• 1/2 c. arrowroot starch (flour)
• 1 Tbs. sorghum syrup or honey (optional)
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt (Use the code kitchenstewardship for 15% off of your first purchase)
• 1/4 c. melted coconut oil, refined or unrefined
• 1/2 c. shredded zucchini
• 1/4 c. chopped green onion
• 1/4 c. chopped cooked bacon (about 2 slices)

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Instructions

1. Mix the rice, teff, and sorghum flours with the milk/water and whey/ACV. Allow to soak for 12-24 hours at room temperature, covered.
2. When you’re ready to bake, mix in all the other ingredients. I recommend sprinkling the baking powder and salt over the whole surface area to make sure they get mixed in thoroughly. You can stir by hand or use an electric mixer.
3. Preheat the oven to 400F.
4. Spoon batter into muffin liners, filling them 3/4 of the way full or so.
5. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until they pass the toothpick test.
6. Cool on a wire rack and serve warm. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I recommend heating to serve leftovers.
7. Makes 9-12 full-sized muffins or 18-24 mini muffins.

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Notes

* Did you know you can freeze cooked bacon AND raw sliced green onion? That’s the best way to have both in small quantities like this (and also to not waste green onions, which are notorious for being forgotten and slimy in the produce drawer).

* You can really use any combination of gluten-free flours for that 1 1/4 cup total, as long as you have 1/2 cup arrowroot (or tapioca) starch too. I usually use 1/2-3/4 c. buckwheat when making these, but I had been wanting to try teff. I think buckwheat/brown rice would make a very nice savory bacon muffin.

* More bacon! Use melted bacon grease (from pastured animals – has high monosaturated fats!) in place of part or all of the coconut oil. Butter is also an option.

* Feel free to sub chives in for the green onion.

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Other Adaptations

• Egg free: We’re not egg free, but it’s always nice to know how to replace eggs with black chia seeds if you are out. Methods vary from 1 tsp. to 1 tablespoon chia seeds, ground or whole, in 2-3 Tbs. warm water.
• Not gluten-free: If you have no reason to be GF, you might be daunted by all the flours too. I’m 95% certain that you can just use 1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour in place of all the flours (including arrowroot) and roll with it.
• Other flavors: Of course you can experiment with the add-ins, the bacon, side of pork, zucchini and green onion. Delete them all and start over with your own favorite veggies or cheese. (Adding 1/2 cup feta is delicious!)

Have you ever used a muffin as a savory bread side? What flavors would you like to experiment with?

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This post is brought to you by Jane Brown.