Gluten-Free Lemon Blueberry Ricotta Muffins

Those of you that know me, know that I am not gluten-free. However, I like to mix it up and have some GF recipes in my back pocket for friends who are GF. I also prefer a mix of brown rice flour, almond meal and other flours over whole wheat flour. I made these this morning when I had a request from the little one of the house. I used half of Pamela's GF mix and half Organic All-Purpose flour, because I ran out of Pamela's. However, the recipe and nutritional information is based on 2 cups of Pamela's GF mix as I wanted this to be a purely gluten-free recipe. I have used this GF mix for muffins in the past and they are great.

I hope that you enjoy, this one's for you - Quadrach, Coblenz-ski, Kindle and McGinnis.

GLUTEN FREE LEMON RICOTTA BLUEBERRY MUFFINS (makes 12)

INGREDIENTS

2      cups of Pamela's GF baking / pancake mix 

1/2   teaspoon baking soda

3/4   cup sugar
3/4   cup Melt organic butter alternative (I like this for baking & for bread and toast)

1      tablespoon lemon zest
1      tablespoons lemon juice

4      egg whites

1      tablespoon pure madagascar vanilla
1      cup low fat (not fat free) ricotta 

1      cup blueberries

DIRECTIONS

• Pre-heat oven to 375º
• Mix flour mix and baking soda in a bowl
• In the mixer with the paddle attachment cream butter & sugar, then add vanilla, lemon juice & zest
• Mix in ricotta cheese, gradually add flour mixture
• In a clean bowl, separate egg whites and whisk egg whites with whisk attachment to fluffy peaks
• Fold egg whites into the batter
• Using a small/med ice cream scooper (aprox 2" in diameter) scoop 1 scoop full into lined muffin tins
• Add a few blueberries, then top with one more scoop of batter
• Bake for 14-18 minutes, top should be golden and be springy when touched and not be wet or moist

NUTRITION

serving size 1 muffin 

weight watchers points+ = 5 points

calories: 200

total fat: 6.4g (high, but good fats: organic coconut, flaxseed, sunflower, canola oils and almond meal)

cholesterol: 8.9 mg

total carbs: 29.1

fiber: 1.1

protein: 5.8

ADDITIONS / SUBSTITUTIONS

• orange juice and rind instead of lemon  & mini dark chocolate chips (9 Tablespoons)

• raspberries instead of blueberries add a tbs pure almond extract and no lemon rind or juice and add some toasted slivered almonds to the top

• For non GF version you can substitte Bob's Red Mill 10 grain pancake mix or Bob's Red Mill Buttermilk pancake mix or a cup of mix and a cup of all purpose flour - please note this will change the nutritional value

• add fresh lemon curd