Goat Cheese Muffins made w/ Chickpea Flour {Grain-Free, Gluten-Free}

Of all the ways you can make muffins — and, heaven help me, I know firsthand that the ways are many — going savory is among the best. Part of it is probably the unexpected: try a word association game with anyone, mention “muffin!” and the answer (99% of the time) will be “blueberry!” or another sweet variation.

But savory muffins are not only utterly delicious, they can make a fundamental difference in getting  dinner to the table in a flash (e.g., add soup or omelet and you’re done). Ergo,  it makes sense to bake a batch of savory muffins whenever you’ve got the oven going in the cold months ahead. That’s because savory muffins are also terrific day after for packed lunches and snacks on the go.

These muffins are made with my new favorite flour: chickpea flour. Take a gander at the book in the right hand column and you’ll see that I am infatuated with it. You can make all kinds of incredible baked goods with this high-protein, high-fiber, inexpensive, naturally gluten- & grain-free power flour, but it’s slightly nutty flavor is ideal in savory quick breads. In fact, it has been, and continues to be used, in a great variety of quick breads all around the world, including France, Italy, India, Myanmar, and North Africa. I couldn’t help but add some cheese, but you could also make these without it.

You can purchase chickpea flour at well-stocked supermarkets (in the health food section), health food stores, and Indian and Southeast Asian markets. Bob’s Red Mill is the most common brand, but note that they call it by another name, garbanzo bean flour; if you are buying the flour in a market, note that it could go by other names, too, such as besan, chana, or gram flour. If you are gluten-intolerant, be sure to purchase a brand that is gluten-free certified.

I have many more chickpea flour recipes to come–I am determined to convince you of its greatness!

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