Yummiesta: October 2021

Vegan Gluten-Free Buckwheat Muffins {oil-free, easy}

October 31, 2021

With one easy recipe--my Vegan Gluten-Free Buckwheat Muffins--you can make countless variations of delicious, hearty muffins. I've added chocolate chips, but fresh fruit, dried fruit, nuts, seeds, spices, and more can be added with equal success. The muffins are oil-free, too!

buckwheat muffins in white paper liners on a black cooling rack

Oil-Free Buckwheat Flour Muffins

These buckwheat flour muffins solve multiple problems. For example, "What I am going to do with that buckwheat flour that's been in the freezer for a year?" and "How can I eat more chocolate chips for breakfast?"

Without giving it too much additional thought, grab a bowl, combine the buckwheat flour and chocolate chips (and a very short list of other items), and SHAZZAM! Your house smells like a bakery and nine perfect muffins sit on your countertop.

You have also answered the question of what to nibble as you sip your cup of coffee.

single buckwheat muffin with chocolate chips with the white paper liner partially removed

Recipe Benefits

These versatile muffins are:

Oil-free
Gluten-free
Vegan (egg-free & dairy-free}
Rich in antioxidants
Made with minimal ingredients
Quick & easy (both to make and bake)
Made in 1 bowl (minimal dishes, hooray!)
Only 101 calories each

Ingredients for the Muffins

overhead shot of the ingredients for buckwheat muffins

Here is what you will need:

Buckwheat flour
Coconut flour (this makes the muffins light and fluffy)
Coconut sugar (options available in recipe card)
Baking soda
Salt (always optional/adjustable)
Water
Apple cider vinegar (or other light-colored vinegar)
Vanilla extract

Optional Chocolate Chips or Other Stir-Ins

Some of you have likely noticed the absence of chocolate chips on the ingredients list. It's not an omission. Rather, an option.

Add 1/3 cup chocolate chips (regular or miniature) to the batter, or a host of other options. An equal amount of chopped dried fruit (dried cranberries are excellent), coarsely chopped nuts or seeds, or cacao nibs in place of the chocolate chips.

buckwheat muffin stir-in ingredients in small glass bowls on a marble countertop.

What is Buckwheat Flour?

The small seeds of the buckwheat plant (groats) are ground to make a strongly nutty-flavored flour that is unmistakably delicious and distinctive in all kinds of baking and cooking.

Despite having "wheat" in the name, buckwheat has no relation to wheat whatsoever. It is a naturally gluten-free grain, and the flour is likewise 100% gluten-free. Buckwheat flour is naturally low on the glycemic index and is packed protein, fiber and antioxidants.

Tip: Grind Your Own Buckwheat Flour

If you have a high-speed blender, you can grind your own buckwheat flour from whole buckwheat groats. Buckwheat groats are particularly easy to grind into a fine flour (since they are not true grains).

Place the groats (up to 2 cups at a time, depending on the size of your blender) in the blender and then blend away. Sift the flour through a fine-mesh sieve afterwards to remove any stray bits that are left unblended.

Store any extra flour in an airtight bag or container and freeze (for up to 1 year) until next time.

Why is Coconut Flour Added?

The addition of coconut flour to this muffin recipe is for fluffiness and moisture.

Coconut flour adds lightness and a moist texture to these buckwheat flour muffins. It is something that the recipe needs in the absence of eggs and added fat. Without it, the muffins will be heavy with a dense crumb.

Step by Step Instructions

The muffins take very little time and effort to prepare (i.e., every reason in the world to make a batch asap :)).

Step One: Preheat the Oven & Line a Muffin Tin

Before mixing the muffin batter, preheat your oven to 350F (180C). Line 8 of the cups of a standard size muffin tin with paper or foil liners. Alternatively, liberally spray the cups with nonstick cooking spray (generous greasing with oil will also work).

a silver muffin tin with eight of the cups lined with white paper liners

Step Two: Whisk the Dry Ingredients

buckwheat flour muffin dry ingredients whisked in a glass bowl

Whisk the buckwheat flour, coconut sugar, coconut flour, baking soda and salt in a medium mixing bowl until blended.

Step Three: Add the Wet Ingredients

Add the water, vinegar and vanilla to the bowl of dry ingredients. Stir until completed combined (no visible dry bits) into a smooth batter.

The batter will look loose upon initial stirring. It will begin to thicken seconds later thanks to the absorbent nature of the coconut flour.

buckwheat flour muffin batter in a glass bowl

If you wish to add in any lumpy-bumpy stir-ins (e.g., chocolate chips, dried fruit, chopped nuts, chopped seeds, etc.), stir them in here.

buckwheat muffin batter in a glass bowl with chocolate chips added

Step Four: Portion the Muffin Batter

Evenly portion the muffin batter amongst the prepare muffin cups, smoothing the tops. A large cookie scoop with a spring release mechanism makes this step particularly easy.

The muffin batter will be just shy of the top of the muffin cups.

buckwheat flour muffin batter portioned into white paper lined muffin cups

Step Five: Bake the Muffins

Bake the muffins in the preheated 350F (180C) oven for 22 to 25 minutes until the tops have puffed some, the surface of the muffins appears dry, and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Remove the muffin tin from the oven and let the muffins cool, still in the tin, for five minutes.

baked buckwheat flour muffins still in a muffin tin

Cool the Muffins

Remove the muffins from the muffin tin. Place the muffins on a cooling rack to cool completely.

close up of a buckwheat flour muffin on a cooling rack

What is the Texture & Taste?

Texture: The muffins are soft and fluffy, as a good homemade muffin should be. They have just the right amount of moistness, too. The muffins do not taste like they are free of oil and other fats.

Taste: I love the not-too-sweet, whole grain flavor of these muffins--they are definitely good-morning, get-started-on-the-right-foot, kind of muffins (i.e., prepare to feel more than a tiny bit virtuous after eating one ;).

If you are not fan of coconut, fear not: neither the coconut sugar nor coconut flour contribute a noticeable coconut flavor.

Happy baking!

a pile of buckwheat flour muffins in an antique pie tin

FAQ

Can I use different flours (in place of the buckwheat flour and/or coconut flour)?

I specifically developed the recipe for buckwheat flour, hence I am unsure of how other flours might work as a substitute. However, if you are up for a bit of experimentation, almond flour, oat flour, or chickpea flour are what I would suggest.

There is, however, no substitution for the coconut flour in this recipe.

Does it matter if I use light or dark buckwheat flour?

Any variety of buckwheat flour will work in the recipe.

Not all bags of buckwheat flour indicate whether the contents are light or dark, but it does not matter either way. Darker buckwheat flour can have a more robust taste than light varieties, but both work beautifully in these muffins.

How do I store the muffins?

Store the cooled muffins in an airtight container at cool room temperature for 1 day, the refrigerator for 5 day, or the freezer for up to 6 months.

Similar Vegan Gluten-Free Recipes to Try:

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Saucy Asian Meatballs

October 31, 2021

These saucy Asian meatballs are the perfect blend of flavors and are drenched in the most insanely delicious sauce! Perfect for dinner or even an appetizer, they will certainly get a “WOW!” at your next get-together!

If delicious meatballs are your thing then you’ve come to the right place! I love meatballs so of course, I think you should try these Quick and Easy Air Fryer Meatballs, these Swedish Meatballs and Noodles, and also these amazing Buffalo Chicken Meatballs!

Saucy Asian Meatballs

Meatballs are SOO GOOD and these saucy Asian meatballs are the cream of the crop! Not only do they have the most delicious and savory taste but their texture is absolute perfection. They are so juicy and soft when you bite into them! And, I love that they are garnished with some sesame seeds and green onions. This not only makes them look especially fancy but it is the perfect topper to add a little bit of extra taste and texture.

I am so confident that you will love these meatballs that I am going to tell you now to double the recipe. Do it from the start and then you will be thanking yourself later! These meatballs are going to fly off of your table so fast! Everyone loves these and for good reason. Make it a feast by adding in some rice, this homemade lemonade, and eating these delicious cookies for dessert!

What’s In Saucy Asian Meatballs?

These saucy Asian meatballs look fancy but they are SO simple! You just need a few staple ingredients and you are on your way to biting into this tender dish! See the recipe card below for a list of exact measurements.

Meat: You can use ground pork or ground beef for this recipe!
Sesame oil: I love the nutty and savory flavor that this brings to this recipe. My favorite one to use is this sesame oil.
Panko: If you don’t have any panko crumbs then you can use regular breadcrumbs instead.
Ground ginger: Make sure that you use ground ginger in the recipe to get the most flavor out of the spice.
Eggs: These help everything to bind together so that you can form the ingredients into a ball. It also adds moisture and keeps the meatballs tender.
Minced garlic: Anytime garlic is added to a recipe, I can’t get enough of it! This is the perfect amount and adds some great flavor to these meatballs.
Green onions: I like to thinly slice up the green onions so that I can be sure to get the taste in each bite!
Optional garnish: You can use some toasted sesame seeds and sliced scallions.

Asian Sauce Ingredients

Hoisin sauce: This flavor brings in some saltiness and tanginess to the sauce! My favorite one to use is this hoisin sauce.
Rice vinegar: Unlike other vinegars, rice vinegar is a mellow taste that is sweet. I like to buy this rice vinegar.
Garlic cloves: If you don’t have any fresh garlic cloves to mince then you can use the minced garlic that you have in your fridge! ½ tsp equals about 1 clove of garlic.
Soy sauce: This soy sauce also brings in a salty flavor!
Sesame oil: I really like how this sesame oil mixes into the sauce and adds in an earthy and nutty flavor.
Ground ginger: Peppery in flavor, ground ginger really brings this sauce to life!

Let’s Make Some Meatballs!

These saucy Asian meatballs only take about 20 minutes from start to finish! So go ahead and get cooking, you are going to love the result!

Preheat oven: Preheat oven to 400.
Mix and form into balls: In a large bowl, mix together meatball ingredients until well-combined. Shape into balls (I made mine about 1.5 inches, which yielded about 35 meatballs, but 1 inch is probably standard), and then place them on a greased baking sheet or in a 9×13 baking dish.
Bake: Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until meatballs are golden on the outside and no longer pink on the inside.
Make sauce: While the meatballs are baking, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients until blended. Once meatballs have finished cooking, then you can either dip each meatball individually (using a toothpick) in the sauce mixture. Or you can pour the sauce over the meatballs and gently stir them until covered.
Serve: Serve warm, and sprinkle with additional garnish if desired.

4 pictures showing steps on how to make and form meatballs.

Tips for Making the BEST Meatballs

Saucy Asian meatballs are super simple and easy to make! I have come up with a few tips that will make these meatballs foolproof!

Don’t overcook: If you overcook meatballs then they become tough and chewy. Make sure to keep and eye on them and take them out just after they are no longer pink. Then they will be juicy and fall apart in your mouth tender!
Be gentle: When you are forming your meatballs, don’t pack the mixture too tight. You just want to gently and quickly form the meatballs. Just forming them enough so that they hold their shape. If you pack them too tightly then they will be tough and rubbery.
Cold ingredients: When you are mixing everything together, you want to mix them as cold ingredients. So make sure to take everything out of the fridge just before you start cooking. This helps the fat from melting before you cook the meatballs!

A toothpick being poked into a meatball.

How to Store Leftovers

These saucy Asian meatballs make fantastic leftovers! Or, you can cook them up, freeze them and eat them later!

Refrigerator: Once the meatballs have cooled then place them in an airtight container. Put it in your fridge and they will last 3-4 days.
Freezer: Let your meatballs and sauce cool down and place them in an airtight container or a ziplock bag that is labeled with the date. These will last about 3-4 months in the freezer!
Reheat: To reheat your leftovers, place them in the microwave and heat them up for 1-2 minutes or until heated through. If you have frozen meatballs, let them thaw overnight in the fridge and heat them up in the same way. Enjoy!

Saucy Asian Meatballs

are the perfect blend of flavors and are drenched in the most insanely delicious sauce! Perfect for dinner or even an appetizer, they will certainly get a "WOW!" at your next get together!

Course Appetizer, Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American, Asian American

Keyword asian meatballs

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes

Total Time 22 minutes

Servings 35 Meatballs

Calories 99kcal

Author Alyssa Rivers

Ingredients

2 pounds ground pork or ground beef
2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 cup Panko or breadcrumbs
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 large eggs
3 teaspoon minced garlic
½ Cup thinly-sliced green onions
Optional garnish: toasted sesame seeds, sliced scallions

Asian Sauce Ingredients:

2/3 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon ground ginger

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400.
In a large bowl, mix together meatball ingredients until well-combined. Shape into balls (I made mine about 1.5 inches, which yielded about 35 meatballs, but 1 inch is probably standard), and place on a greased baking sheet or in a 9×13 baking dish.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until meatballs are golden on the outside and no longer pink on the inside.
While the meatballs are baking, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients until blended. Once meatballs have finished cooking, you can either dip each meatball individually (using a toothpick) in the sauce mixture. Or you can pour the sauce over the meatballs and gently stir them until covered.
Serve warm, and sprinkle with additional garnish if desired.

Notes

Updated on October 31, 2021Originally Posted on October 23, 2012

Nutrition

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Soft and Delicious Alfajores Cookies

October 30, 2021

These alfajores cookies are simply divine! Their texture is perfectly soft and once you add in that creamy dulce de leche filling, well… Let’s just say these cookies aren’t going to last long!

If you love cookies, then these alfajores are a definite MUST TRY. Once you are done baking these, try out these delicious Sprinkle Cookies, Almond Cookies, and these amazing Homemade Milano Cookies! You will die over how good they all are!

What Are Alfajores Cookies?

This is such a good question! Alfajores cookies are shortbread-like cookies that are filled with a delicious caramel kind of filling called dulce de leche. They come from the middle east and were brought to South America (Argentina to be exact!). There are a lot of different variations of these cookies where the filling can also be made from chocolate, fruits, or even nuts! But the dulce de leche is the most common flavor!

These cookies take a bit of time to make because you have to make sure that you are taking the time to chill your dough. This is key to getting the taste and texture just right! But if you can hold out for them, they are totally worth the wait! The soft cookie combined with that delightful and creamy filling is a taste like no other! Plus, these not only taste amazing but they look like they came straight from a bakery! Try them out and double the batch while you are at it… You will be so glad that you made some extra!

Ingredients You Need to make Alfajores Cookies

Though these cookies look complex, they aren’t! Once you pick up some dulce de leche from the store, you probably already have everything else that you need all ready to go in your kitchen! See the recipe card below for a list of exact ingredient measurements.

Flour: I used all purpose flour for this recipe!
Cornstarch: This will help your cookies have that soft and crubly like dessert texture.
Baking powder: This helps the dough to stretch so that when your cookies bake, they don’t crack!
Salt: Salt enhances all of the flavors in these cookies,
Powdered sugar: Using powdered sugar helps create a smooth texture because it dissolves and mixes easily.
Butter: Make sure that your butter is unsalted and softened to room temperature.
Lemon zest: This create the perfect contrast in flavor without being the star of the show.
Vanilla extract: You can use vanilla paste instead for a more rich flavor!
Eggs: You will need a whole egg plus an additional egg yolk for this recipe.
Dulce de leche: I just use store bought dulce de leche to make this recipe easier!

Let’s Bake Some Cookies!

Make sure that when you are making these alfajores cookies that you take the time to chill the dough! It’s key to making them turn out just right!

Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and powdered sugar.
Beat butter and mix with wet ingredients: In a large bowl add the butter and either beat with a paddle or use a hand mixer to combine them until light and fluffy. Add in the lemon zest, vanilla, egg, and egg yolk and mix until just combined.
Combine wet and dry ingredients: Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just combined. Be sure to scrape down the bowl to make sure everything is completely mixed in.
Make dough ball and chill: Form a large ball with all the dough and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Transfer to the fridge and chill for 30-40 minutes.
Preheat oven and cut out cookies from dough: Preheat the oven to 375° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Let the dough sit at room temp for about 5 minutes or so and then roll to ¼ inch thick. Use a round or scalloped edged cookie cutter to cut out cookies.
Chill: Bring together the scraps and reroll the dough to get as many cookie as you can. Chill the cookies in the fridge for about 10 minutes before baking.
Bake and cool: Bake the pans of cookies for about 8 minutes, just until the edges start to turn golden. You don’t want the whole cookie to be golden, just the very edges. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack and let cool completely.
Pipe in dulce de leche, chill and serve: Spoon the dulce de leche into a piping bag and pipe about a 1-2 teaspoons in the middle of one cookie. Sandwich a second cookie onto the first. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

6 step by step pictures on how to make dough and cut out cookies.