Much of the gluten-free bakery fare is made with a combination of refined starches, such as from potatoes and tapioca. For those of us looking for whole grain but gluten-free bakery goods, those products just don’t fit the bill, and they can spike blood sugar as they tend to be low in fiber and protein, and aren’t not whole foods. I’ve made organic brown rice muffins for years and found them to hold together and be delicious–especially when I grind the brown rice freshly, as it is then impossibly sweet and soft.

Ingredients
2 1/3 cups fresh brown rice flour
3 teaspoons baking powder (non-aluminum brand, such as Rumford)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 or two eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup milk
1/4 cup melted butter or coconut oil

Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a measuring cup, add the milk, eggs, melted oil, and maple syrup. Stir to blend, and add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients. Don’t over beat, stirring only enough to dampen the flour. Pour into oiled muffin tins, having the tins just about two-thirds full. Bake at 350 F for about 15 minutes or until just brown.

–Annie Bond, author of True Food, with Melissa Breyer and Wendy Gordon (National Geographic, 2010)