Gluten-Free Lemon Blueberry Muffins

I am so excited to be posting my first gluten-free recipe. For a long time I have struggled with weight problems, poor skin and stomach pain, so I am thinking I am going to try to reduce my gluten intake. My niece also struggles with gluten and so do a few of my close friends, So I am trying to have more GF recipes on hand that actually taste good. So here is a great recipe for Gluten-Free Lemon Blueberry Muffins. I like this one because we have a blueberry farm, so I have more blueberries than I know what to do with! 
I will be adding more GF recipes as I find them and the ones proven to have great taste. You can make this recipe with regular flour as well. Its low in sugar too.

Gluten-Free Lemon Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients

• 1-3/4 Cup Gluten-free Multi-Purpose baking mix (Hodgson Mills)
• 3/4 Cup sugar
• 2 tsp. Gluten-free baking powder (Rumford brand)
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3/4 Cup light sour cream
• 1/2 Cup 2% milk
• 1/4 Cup fresh lemon juice and its zest
• 1/4 Cup olive oil
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1 Cup frozen blueberries

Cooking Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees and prepare a 12 hole muffin tin with paper liners or butter.
2. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl.
3. Mix the wet ingredients together in a separate bowl.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.
5. Fill the muffin tins with a few tablespoons of the batter then dop in 4-5 blueberries in and cover with more batter.
6. Bake for 16 min.

 

 * GF flours don't brown like regular flours do so check them for doneness, not by color. 

 

 

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is something that my 36 year old body deals with on a regular basis. My pain areas are my knees which Drs. say is almost bone on bone, back and my hands. My knees probably being the worse since I have been really hard on them as an avid snowboarder and instructor. I stumbled across some really great natural home remedies to help with pain and discomfort, I am planning on trying a few out. If any of my readers do also, please let me know what you think and how it worked for you.   Osteoarthritis: • Arthritis affects the joints causing severe pain • This pain can make a person immobile • It is one of the most common joint disorders which occurs with age Symptoms to look for: • Swelling and pain in the affected joint • Cracking noise on any joint movement • Constant stiffness Causes: • Wear and tear of the cartilage, a cushion between the bones and joints, • Increases the friction between the bones • Leads to stiffness and pain in the joints • Overweight • Injury • Excessive exercising • Hereditary factors Natural home remedy using potato: 1. Wash and cut an unpeeled potato into thin slices 2. Soak them in water overnight 3. Strain the water in the morning 4. Drink it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach Natural home remedy using mustard oil and camphor: 1. Heat 1 cup of mustard oil 2. Add 10 g of camphor 3. Heat till camphor dissolves completely 4. Massage with the oil when lukewarm This increases the blood supply and reduces inflammation and stiffness Natural home remedy using sesame seeds: 1. Take 100 ml of water 2. Soak 1 tsp of black sesame seeds in it overnight 3. Consume this mixture in the morning Natural home remedy using cinnamon powder and honey: 1. Take 1 tsp of cinnamon powder 2. Add 1 tbsp of honey 3. Mix well 4. Have this on an empty stomach every morning  Completely natural, non-invasive, and can be prepared at home.

Natural Infused Water

Ok, so I admit it, I do enjoy having a soda every now and then, but I am constantly reminded of how many calories and sugars are in them, even in "diet" drinks.
 So I am on a quest to rid myself of soda pop. 

Today I had a glass of water infused with pomegranate!

 It was a nice light flavor and really tasted great!

Put as much fruit in water as you like and let the water sit for at least 30 minutes before drinking. I chose pomegranate today, But I also have cucumber I plan to try

and I am a regular with lemon water.

Besides tasting great and being very healthy, Infused waters also can 

help with detoxification, energy and hydration.

 

Below is a sample of some combinations and how they
may help your body and health.

1. Green tea, mint, lime: can help with fat burning, digestion,

 headaches, congestion and natural breath freshener.
2. Strawberry, kiwi: can help with cardiovascular health,

immune system protection, blood sugar regulation, digestion.
3. Cucumber, lime, lemon:  can help with water weight management,

bloating, appetite control, hydration, digestion
4. Lemon, lime, orange: digestion vitamin C, immune defense,

 heartburn, (Drink this one at room temperature)

 

As I have, I am sure you too will find that in no time this is all

you'll want to drink and you wont even miss Soda!

 

Enjoy!

 

My Kitchen Garden

After much thought and consideration, I have finally decided on a

Kitchen Garden, I love the concept and the look.

A kitchen garden can be the central feature of an all-season landscape or it may be a little more than a humble veggie plot. It is a source of herbs, vegetables and fruits, but it is often also a structured garden space with a design based on repetitive geometric patterns.
I am going to use 4 by 4 squares with a walk way between each square section.

A kitchen garden has year-round visual appeal and can incorporate permanent perennials or woody shrub plantings, and annuals. I hope to fence with a shabby white picket fence...If I can get my hands on some! :) Maybe a nice trellis for my squash and cucumbers and maybe a bench! I am sure this will be an ongoing process but I have the plans!

Grow!

 Its finally spring time! Here in WNY it seemed like it took a long time to get here! Finally this week we are having 70 and 80 degree weather! The Horner household is getting busy trying to take advantage of the beautiful weather and the fact its not raining. We bought our seeds for our garden this year, a big in ground garden versus our normal container gardening. I decided to use paper egg cartons for my seedlings to start in, they are biodegradable and will just break down in the soil, so its a win-win situation. I made a makeshift green house of sorts with 2x4s and plexi glass, and I must say its been working very well!

 Soon I will be working in my new green house and I cant wait!

I am not a very patient person, so waiting for those seedlings to grow has been killing me, but finally Results!!! My cucumber, basil, squash and corn is coming up! Few more weeks before they can handle WNY weather, we get frost rather late. Cant wait to enjoy the "Fruits of Our Labor"

We also have taken on 6 more chicks! Austrolorps, they are an Australian breed, black and white. Very cute! However 4 of them are Roosters...uuugh. So I think I am going to advertise breeders for sale, or we will have chicken in the freezer. They are growing fast too! Few more months and we should be getting more eggs! Its a fun season and a busy one! Updates when I can!

 

New Babies with heat light on.

                                                                                 Big Babies outside on the

                                                                                  porch now, heat at night.