whole-grain

Vegan Blueberry Flax Breakfast Muffins

March 5, 2015 by Katherine Baker 79 Comments

When life puts giant boxes of blueberries on sale what do you do? Thank your lucky stars, buy a box, and eat the entirety of said box thinking about how great a blueberry muffin would be. Proceed to purchase another giant box of blueberry muffins two days later to fulfill muffin desires. Win at life. Repeat as necessary.

What is not to love about blueberry muffins? For some reason they have always been my favorite. Simple, classic, and bursting with juicy balls of berry juice. Mmm. In fact, when I broke into one of these beauties today I managed to splatter blueberry juice all over my freshly cleaned hoodie. Because we all know I literally cannot wear clean laundry for a full day without soiling it. Such is my life. #slob

Blueberry muffins are always something I come back to. Yeah I’ll get excited about that other cool trendy flavor. Sure I’ll give a chocolate chip muffin a whirl, and yeah I’m down with a banana walnut as much as the next girl. But for me, at the end of the day, it’s always back to my bloobies. The blessed bloobies wrapped up in carby goodness.

This talk of carby goodness brings up my next point about muffins. In my opinion, there are two types of muffins: breakfast muffins and dessert muffins. Both are excellent for different reasons and warrant a time and place to be eaten. Some days I want a mile-high crumble top to give me a sugar buzz. But today I wanted a not-too-sweet-eatable-for-breakfast-hearty muffin. And then I went into blueberry muffin labor and birthed a dozen Beautiful Blueberry Breakfast Muffins.

Yum. These babies are 100% whole grain, and have a gluten free option as well. Vegan, per usual, they have nothing in them they do not need. Add as much sweetener as you desire; I’m putting you in charge here with a sliding scale to suit to your personal preference.

Eat as you please. I enjoy them microwaved for about 10 seconds with a smudge of almond butter, and/or with a smudge of coconut butter and some raspberry jam. But you can jam on them however you wish. I’m not bluffin’ with no muffin, you should make a batch and enjoy them as a quick snack or breakfast for the rest of your week and/or day if you love carbs as much as I do. Eat up homies~!

PS ~ Have you checked out the kbaked Facebook page yet? 🙂 I’m also on YouTube!

EDIT 07/14/2019:

I added cinnamon to the recipe and other flour options. There were questions about the leavening agent and I tested with both baking powder and soda and had success with both. If your leavening agent is not working, I suggest making sure it is not old and making sure you do not skip adding vinegar to the recipe.

I also add this video:

Vegan Blueberry Flax Breakfast Muffins

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 25-35 minutes
Level: Easy

Ingredients:

2 cups oat flour (can make with 2 cups rolled oats processed in a food processor or blender until fine powder forms)
- Note: I also made these with 1 cup oat flour and 1 cup spelt flour. This was also wonderful! They also work well with half whole wheat pastry flour and half gluten-free baking flour blend.
1/4 cup ground flax (can sub chia seeds)
2 teaspoons baking powder (I tested with baking soda and it also worked)
1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
4 tablespoons coconut oil, melted (can sub canola)
1 cup almond or soy milk + 1 teaspoon vinegar, left to sit for at least 10 minutes
1/2 cup apple sauce or 1/2 mashed banana
1/2 cup – 1 cup brown sugar (depending on level of desired sweetness); can also sup 1/3rd-1/2 cup maple syrup or honey
1 1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. In a cup or bowl, combine almond milk and vinegar and allow to curdle, at least 10 minutes.

3. In a large bowl, combine flour, flax seed, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Mix together well.

4. Add apple sauce, melted coconut oil, sugar and/or maple syrup, almond milk + vinegar mixture to bowl with flour. Mix gently until just combined. Fold in blueberries.

5. Grease or line a 12-tin muffin tray. Fill each spot about 3/4ths of the way full with muffin batter. Place into the oven for 25-35 minutes until puffed, golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffin comes out clean upon removal. Allow to cool (or don’t) and enjoy. Store in an airtight container or ziplock bag for up to 4 days, and/or freeze.

PS ~ Have you checked out the kbaked Facebook page yet? 🙂 I’m also on YouTube!

Maple Cranberry Corn Muffins

November 1, 2014 by Katherine Baker 6 Comments

[ Disclosure: “I received free samples of Libby’s new Vegetable Pouches mentioned in this post. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by Libby’s and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.” ]

True fact: I used to not be crazy about corn products. Even 6 months ago I turns my nose up at polenta and even at corn tortillas. Then all of a sudden I realized how amazing they are and now I’m corn crazy. For some reason though I’ve always loved corn bread and corn muffins. This has never changed.

Corn is very Wisconsin. Wisconsin is my homestate. I love Wisconsin and fall in Wisconsin is one of the most beautiful things ever. So. many. colors. You know what is is very Wisconsin and very fall-in-Wisconsin? Fresh cranberries. MmmMm.

I believe Wisconsin is the largest producer of cranberries in the US. #gowisconsin. They sell them in bags at every grocery store around. I adore them. I actually will pop them raw, like grapes. People think this is weird. Just like how I love to eat bananas with sea salt and canned pumpkin with cinnamon, sugar and a spoon. I’m okay with people judging me, as long as I’m enjoying myself.

Maple syrup is also very Wisconsin. We have lots of syrup-makin’ trees, apparently. It’s also very fall. And these muffins decided to make themselves fall Wisconsin-themed muffins thanks to the inspiration from the corn. I used Libby’s new Vegetable Pouches corn. The lovely folks at Libby’s were kind enough to send me some samples of three pouches: corn, green beans, and peas.

The pouches were super convenient, flexible, and fit well stuck into random corners well in my crammed cabinets. I also dug that the pouches are eco-friendly, easy to open (no can opener required!) and the vegetables were all fresh tasting.

So why not combine all things #wisconsin into one epic corn muffin? I could think of no reason not to, so that’s just what I did. These are great. They’re super corny (lol), and the oatflour makes them fluffy and soft and coincidentally gluten free. These are wonderful muffins that are neither too sweet nor savory in a way that can be enjoyed for breakfast, or alongside something savory like a salad and/or a hearty fall stews.

Pureeing corn into a paste adds moisture and substitutes for some of the large amounts of oil often found in corn muffins the same way applesause would. Whole kernels in cornbread/muffins have always been a thing in our household, and I suggest that if you have not yet incorporated this concept into your corn baking ways, you do so immediately. Corn is a whole grain, so you can eat these delicious fluffy tangy little babies while knowing you’re doing something nice for your mind and body. Bonus: they’re vegan, nut free, and gluten-free aka allergy-friendly! Enjoy!

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15-20 minutes

Level: Easy

Yield: 12 muffins

Ingredients:

1 cup cornmeal
1 cup oatflour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup almond or soy milk
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 cup Libby’s corn, divided [1/2 cup pureed, 1/2 cup left as whole kernels]
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup cranberries
3 tablespoons maple syrup

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Combine almond milk/soy milk + vinegar in small bowl and set aside to curdle, at least 10 minutes. This will be your pseudo-buttermilk.

3.In a large bowl, combine cornmeal, oat flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

4. In a food processor or blender puree 1/2 cup corn until a smooth paste.

5. Add corn puree, vegetable oil, and almond milk mixture to dry mixture. Mix gently until just combined. Add corn kernels, cranberries, and maple syrup and mix gently again.

6. Line a muffin tin with muffin liners or grease well with vegetable oil. Fill each tin with 3/4 of the way full and place in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until golden, fragrant, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean upon removal.

7. Allow to cool and serve with maple butter or alongside a hearty bowl of soup. 🙂 Eat!

Check out more Libby’s Recipes below!!

An InLinkz Link-up

Blackberry Fruit Dumplings

October 28, 2014 by Katherine Baker 5 Comments

The Fruit Dumplings from East Side Ovens are things of beauty. It’s this little pocket that sort of looks like a rounded out star / mini hand pie, filled with delicious, sweet, fruity goo in the most perfect flakey crust. It’s what dreams are made of.

East Side Ovens sells them in local farmer’s markets and grocery stores. They don’t advertise themselves as being vegan at farmer’s markets, but after stumpling into a sampling promotion at the Health Hut last month, I learned that all of their products are totally dairy free! #win. I wonder why they don’t advertise this way at markets. My guess is so that people who aren’t particularly open-minded about vegan baked goods don’t automatically skip over their delicious goodies. Which I’m sure, sadly, a lot of people would. But no one does! These babies sell like HOT CAKES every place they’re available. Which is awesome for the little local business, and proves that if people aren’t told any different, many don’t even know they’re eating something vegan when secretly they are. #tricky

Last Monday I was having a good day, even after work. I was in a happy pants mood and wanted to celebrate so I popped on into Health Hut to celebrate. Because I reward myself with health-food grocery shopping because it’s like my favorite hobby. I know, right? I’m the coolest and most exciting human you’ve ever met.

I bought these cherry dumplings from East Side Ovens while I was at the Health Hut. They also have really good rhubarb ones. And many other kids. But last Monday, all Health Hut had was cherry. And cherry is one of my top 5 favorite fruits of all times. So cherry it was!

I brought them home and ate one that night. I saved one for Tuesday and looked forward to it allllll afternoon while I was working. I could not wait to get home and make coffee and have my cherry dumpling. So I got home from work and got my coffee going and put my dumpling on the counter. Then I went upstairs to pee and get my phone charger. Five minutes later I return downstairs. And like, certainly more than half of my fruit dumpling had mysteriously vanished. I’m not pointing any fingers but I’m 100% certain it was Pita. OOF.

I was sad, but still savored what was left of my little dumpling. Actually, in retrospect, I’m lucky she didn’t eat the whole thing. And like honestly, if she did, I couldn’t have blamed her. They’re just so yummy. Perfect combo of crunchy/flakey crust, gooey sweet fruity filling, and sweet crunchy frosting glaze white stuff. Heavenly. I made her promise we return the the Health Hut soon to get more and just to go gawk at the Health Hut because it’s so beautiful and has so many fine, healthy, delicious food products. Wow I love grocery shopping. I really need a social life.

Anyways, this event also sparked me to want to make my own fruit dumplings, so on Sunday Funday I gave it a whirl and whipped up these babies. I used blackberries, because we had leftover frozen blackberries in the freezer from when I made these wonderful wonderful Blackberry Cornmeal Pancakes (seriously, make them). You can use whatever berry or fruit you’d like. Frozen berries worked really well in this dish, as you cook ’em down anyways.

The end result was much like the Fruit Dumpling experience from East Side Ovens, with a few differences: you still get the crunchy meets gooey/fruity/sweet. Except these are a little less, puffy, I guess you could say. Next time I’m going to try layering the dough to make it puffier and flakier. We’ll see.

These are more like a crispy tart. Still wonderful and delicious in its own right, just a slightly different crust texture than the OG. But cooking is all about making things your own anyways! So next time you want something delicious that will fill your heart and soul with joy and your kitchen with wonderful wafts of fruity pies, whip up a couple of these babies. Not only do they sort of look like stars, they taste like them, too. 😉 #cheesy #corny #gowithit

xoxo, kbakes !

Blackberry Fruit Dumplings

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 20-30 minutes

Level: Easy

Makes 2 small fruit pies [serves 2]

Ingredients – Crust:

1/4 cup cold coconut oil or non-dairy spread such as Earth Balance
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1/3-1/2 cups cold water

Ingredients – Filling:

1 cup fresh or frozen blackberries (or any berries/fruit!)
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon vanila extract

Ingredients – Glaze:

Either drizzle 1/2 cup vanilla coconut milk yogurt (that’s what I did)
- OR combine 1/4 cup nondairy spread at room temperature (such as Earth balance) with 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar using a hand mixture or kitchen aid mixture until well-combined. Add almond milk and/or more powdered sugar as needed until desired consistency is reached

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. In a food processor, combine whole wheat pastry flour, all purpose flour, salt, and sugar. Pulse until mixed well. Cut up coconut oil or non-dairy spread into pieces, sprinkle into the food processor, and continue pulsing until well slightly combined. Add 1/4 cup cold water and pulse until a loose crumbly dough begins to form. If needed, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time.

3. Removed dough from food processor and form into a ball. Wrap or place in a small bowl and place in the refrigerator.

4. Meanwhile, combine blackberries, sugar, flour, vanilla, and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Bring to a low boil, stirring constantly, then reduce heat and allow to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced and the fruit mixture is the consistency of a loose jelly.

5. Remove dough from refrigerator. Cut in half. Roll each half into a thin circle.

6. Place half of fruit mixture in the center of each circle of dough.

7. Fold over one edge of the circle like an envelope so that the crust covers about 1/4 inch of the fruit, but the majority is still in the center. From the top of this fold, fold over the two sides diagonally to make an obtuse angle covering the right and left corner of the top fold.

8. Repeat at the bottom; this time fold the dough inwards so that the center is exposed but the edges are framing the fruit. Press down dough to seal any potential points of leakage (such as the edges) as necessary.

9. Repeat with second circle. Place dumplings onto a parchment-paper lined baking sheet and place in the oven for 22-30 minutes until the crust has browned and the bottom easily releases from parchment paper if you try to peak at/lift up a corner. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

10. If desired, add as much or as little glaze or icing as you’d like. Enjoy ! 🙂 I used coconut yogurt, but if you want to make a vegan buttercream, simple combine 1/4 cup non-dairy vegetable spread with 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar using a hand mixture or kitchen aid mixture until well-combined. Add almond milk and/or more powdered sugar as needed until desired consistency is reached. Decorate to your heart’s content.

Whole-Wheat Rosemary Tomato Focaccia

September 2, 2014 by Katherine Baker 2 Comments

Happy September AND happy Labor Day friends! Today marks the end of the summer and the end of tomato growing season – which means that you may, like me, be overwhelmed by the amount of tomatoes you have at your disposal for consumption.

There is nothing more August-y or wonderful than legit homegrown tomatoes. They taste 190% different than the big crappy ones you get from the grocery store in the middle of winter. You know what I mean – the sweet baby ones that you can literally pop like candy. OoooOooo baby are they a treat. I can literally eat an entire bowl of them and think nothing of it.

Today not only marks the end of August, it apparently “officially” marks the end of summer. Sigh. And today, it was as if mother nature wanted to make sure we really knew this, so we had some morning thunder storms and cool, fall breezes to remind us of what lies ahead. Although I am sad to bid farewell to berries by the bucket-load and oodles of sunshine, I’m not totally opposed to fall. It’s my favorite flavor season (FALL VEGETABLES FTW!) and I am comfortable with the idea of big sweaters, racking leaves, apple pickin’ and pumpin’ cravin’. As the weather cools, I am only further enticed to warm up by the oven. Meaning more reasons to bake! #party.

So on this awkward summer-meets-fall day, I decided to make a summer-meets-fall dish: focaccia with late summery tomatoes and fresh rosemary. I love fresh baked bread, especially on a windy cool day. And I’ve had a hankerin’ to make focaccia for a while now. I love its springy bouncy texture. Also today I learned it’s incredibly difficult to spell. So that initially make me like it slightly less, but also made more determined to master not only its spelling but also its taste. And then I forgave its difficulty to spell and accepted that I’m a terrible speller and moved on with life. With a pan of freshly baked focaccia to guide me to more important things.

So give this stuff a whirl. It’s yummy plain, with soup, or for as an extra tasty addition to a sandwich. It’s highly customizable to your personal tastes, but the rosemary truly adds wonderful notes of pine and spice and the fresh tomatoes ended up as a gooey sweet caramelized topping. Ugh. Yum. #carbs5ever. So happy late-summer and happy early fall. See you in squash and apple season, babay.

Whole-Wheat Rosemary Tomato Focaccia

Prep Time: 4-8 hours

Bake Time: 20-30 minutes

Level: Easy

Ingredients:

one packet (1/4 oz) dry active yeast
one cup warm water (about 120 degrees F)
2 tablespoons maple syrup or molasses (food for the yeast to eat and grow!)
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup all purpose or bread flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
one large sprig rosemary, or 2 tablespoons dried rosemary
5-10 cherry tomatoes

Directions:

1. Warm the water and pour into a large bowl or stand mixer and sprinkle yeast on top. Add maple syrup and mix gently. Allow to sit for 10-15 minutes until the yeast looks foamy at the top of the water.

2. In a separate bowl, combine flours and salt. Slowly add flour mixture to water mixture, and olive oil, about 2 tablespoons of rosemary, and using the dough hook, mix dough well until a large dough ball forms, roughly 7 minutes.

3. Transfer dough to an oiled bowl, cover, and store in a cool, dry, dark place for 2-8 hours until it has doubled in size. Punch down the dough, knead for a few minutes, and transfer to a small, oiled baking pan. I used a random 6×10 inch pan.

4. Poke holes all over the dough and allow it to do a second proof (rising) for about an hour. This proof is more important than the first rising. Don’t skip it!

5. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. If desired, brush a little more olive oil on the bread surface, and slice tomatoes thinly and gently press them into dough surface. Sprinkle a little more rosemary and sea salt on top. Bake for 20-30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean upon removal.

6. Cool. Eat. Make a sandwich. Dip in bread. Eat more. Enjoy.

Cherry Chia Muesli Bread

July 23, 2014 by Katherine Baker 5 Comments

We’ve been out of bread for like, 52 hours in this house. Which is, in my humble opinion, an emergency. I’ve been picking up whole grain bagels from Panera on the daily to get through these rough times. But last night, when I found myself unable to bear the thought of waking up to a bread less morning, I decided the store was too big a hassle (read: did not want to put pants on) so I dug deep into my dwindling pantry and decided to whip some up to bake in the morning.

sorry for the excessive bread porn..

I was inspired by these weird Muesli rolls I grew quite found of when I studied abroad in Paris. This Monoprix grocery store right by school sold them $0.60 and when paired with some fresh fruit it made for the perfect little breakfast to eat before class (b/c eating IN class was a no-no in Franceland).

Another no-no in France was iced coffee. It was like finding a nice, straight, actually decent non-pig boy at NYU. Basically impossible. I spent a gross amount of money and endured a lot of snickers from Starbucks cashiers who served me my iced Americanos, as they seemingly always enjoyed pointing out their appropriate names.

So in Paris, not as much iced coffee. But great muesli rolls I’ll remember forever. Win some, loose some. Overall one of best experiences of lyfe.

Back to bread: it’s the BEST. Especially when it’s homemade. Like this stuff. I didn’t have raisins like the muesli rolls I ate in France so I used dried cherries which I diced up. I also didn’t have millet seeds (which are GREAT in breads like this) so I used some chia seeds.

The result was frickin’ delicious and a true treat to wake up to baking this morning and eat as a second breakfast because let’s be honest I need to eat within 10 minutes of getting out of bed or I punch people. So it baked as I downed my berries and oatmeal and served as a delicious mid-morning snack-attack buster.

It’s really great warm. Or toasted. Or with almond butter. Would also pair nicely with goat cheese. Or cheddar. Or as part of a sandwich. Sweet or savory. Or just plain. Okay I really like this bread. Go bread. BREAD!! #carbs5ever

Cherry Chia Museli Bread

Prep Time: 4 hours (including rising – if left overnight will be longer)

Cook Time: 22-35 minutes

Level: Easy

Ingredients:

1.5 cups warm water
1 packet yeast
1 tablespoon sugar (to feed the yeast! nomnom #betterrising)
2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup rolled oats, divided half
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup mixed nuts, chopped (I used almonds, pistachios and cashews. and tbh this was because I bought an individual bag of these nuts at Walgreens earlier in the day and they were what was around. walnuts would work great. use what you have, always!)
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup dried cherries, chopped
4 tablespoons chia seeds

Directions:

1. Heat water to 110-115 degrees and sprinkle yeast and sugar into the bowl. The sugar is for the yeast to eat. This will help it activate and your dough to rise. <–this is your mini food science lesson of the day.

2. Let the water/yeast sit for 5-10 minutes until it smells yeasty and looks foamy. Yum. Add flours, salt, and 1/4 cup rolled oats and mix.

3. If using a stand mixer, attach the dough hook and let it work its magic for about 5 minutes. If doing it by yourself (bless your soul) kneed on a floured service for about 10-14 minutes.

4. Place dough in an oiled bowl and allow to rise/double in size. Two or three hours is minimum. I did overnight.

5. Punch down dough. This redistributes the yeast (#foodscienceminilesson2) and transfer dough ball to a lightly floured surface. Knead a few times and use a rolling pin or hands to flatten.

6. Chop nuts and dice dried cherries. Add sunflower seeds, chia seeds, and remaining 1/4 cup rolled oats together. Mix nuts, seeds, and chia together to make muesli.

7. Sprinkle about half of muesli onto flattened dough and then fold dough in half so the muesli is on the inside. Give it one knead then roll out then flatten the dough once more, sprinkling 1/4 of the muesli mix (half of what’s remaining) here and there. Next fold and knead the dough into a round ball orby thing. Honestly I think when it looks a little imperfect it looks more beautiful.

8. Sprinkle what’s remaining of the muesli on top of the dough and allow to sit (shaped) on a gently oiled baking sheet for an hour. This is the second rising aka the “proof”. It’s actually more important than the first. (#foodscienceminilesson3) Don’t skip this step. The proof is in the puddin’ LOL. sorry.

9. While the dough is proofing, relax for a while. Walk your dog. When there are about 20 minutes left in your proofing time, preheat the oven to 450 degrees and place an empty baking sheet on the lowest rack. This has a purpose I promise. Give the dough ball a slash or two (or three) with a knife.

10. When the oven is preheated and dough is proofed, place bread in the oven on its baking sheet. Pour a large cup of water onto the lower empty baking sheet to create steam which will help your bread brown and develop a beautiful crust. You can also spritz it a few times with a spritz bottle full of water, but this seemed more complicated at the time.

11. Allow bread to bake 22-30 minutes until fragrant and golden and delicious. When it is done, should should hollow when you tap it on the top.

12. Allow it to cool (if you can wait) and slice with a serrated knife. Enjoy plain or with literally any topping because it is so good you can do no wrong. Like, it’d even taste good with ice cream and pickles on top. Probably. Maybe. Anyways, eat up.

Vegan Animal Crackers with Coconut and Strawberry Icing

July 18, 2014 by Katherine Baker 12 Comments

So a few weeks ago I had a wicked craving for these, so I bought some at Target.

Except then I ate them and I wanted to cry because I was so disappointed in how gross they were…I don’t know why I remember them being tasty. They tasted like total junk – WAY too artificial and too sweet, I was surprised by how much flavor they lacked for how bright they were and the list of ingredients that was longer than most novels I’ve read.

So I was deeply saddened grieving the loss of the enjoyment of a childhood treat; however, through my tears a glimmer of hope and inspiration struck me. I was determined to redo them. But make them delicious and flavorful and junk free.

And today, I succeeded. These have a wonderful nutty, oaty flavor and are just pleasantly sweet, but light enough to eat as a snack or breakfast. I was actually surprised at how frickin’ delicious they are. My mom also enjoyed them quite a bit, as did Millie when I dropped one (lucky girl).

I made these with half oat flour and half whole wheat flour because it’s what I had around, but for Celiac’s sufferers, it is very possible to use all oat flour or another gluten free flour as a substitute. These are also vegan, so they are friendly for those with dairy sensitivities.

“let’s makeout”

The icing is phenomenal, my friends. I basically used canned coconut milk and add powdered sugar. For the pink cookies, I pureed some freeze dried strawberries (available at Target and/or Trader Joe’s) which added color and flavor without ruining the consistency of the icing. A sprinkle of nutmeg and cinnamon adds a beautiful warmth to the cookie, as well.

Overall, these are wonderful little nuggets of joy that taste and feel good for the body. A little more work than buying the junky ones, sure, but well worth the effort.

…

Fudgy Vegan Double Chocolate Muffins – with a Surprise Ingredient [Watermelon!]

June 16, 2014 by Katherine Baker 5 Comments

I like chocolately muffins. I like to dip them in almond or soy milk, or mash them up into Greek Yogurt. It makes a great substitute for a froyo creation when I’m too lazy to seek it out. I kind of like those VitaTop muffin things. The chocolate ones. But they’re expensive and I tend to only buy them when they are on sale at Target. So that’s a bummer. But I can get by.

In addition to chocolate muffins, I also like the challenge of vegan baking. I always have. No, I’m not currently vegan. I am, however, a vegetarian of f 13+ years and recently have been progressing towards a more plant based diet. Lately I’ve just been more and more into earthy stuff and the challenge of creating things with stuff straight from motha nature (also this book doe…). Now I know that baked goods aren’t something you’d typically pick off a tree, but I really genuinely do enjoy vegan baking sometimes. Buttercream is a beautiful thing and if you follow me on Instagram you know I’m a bitch for ice cream, but there’s something to be said about vegan baked goods. Sometimes, without all the mingling flavors of eggs and butter and other stuff, I believe you can actually taste the flavors more intensely. In fact, some of the most pure tasting and flavorful ice creams/gelatos and pasteries I’ve had have coincidentally be vegan. So be open minded, friends. And open mouthed.

These muffins, like a lot of other vegan baked goods, are rly fudgey and intensely chocolatey. Both great things.

I’ve seen a lot of vegan baking recipes that use applesauce to add sweetness and texture to baked goods. This is a great trick. I do it all the time. And I almost did for these muffins. But then I also realized I had a boatload of watermelon which I happened to be snacking on while I started baking. So I decided to experiment with pureeing some up and using it instead of applesauce in my recipe. Why? Why the hell not. It’s nutritious and delicious just like applesauce added some natural sweetness and tons of moisture and a springy bite to the muffins.

Do these taste like watermelon? No. Not really. They mostly just tasted really chocolately. That’s not the point though. The point is that I like to experiment and this substitution happened to work splendidly. It also has inspired me to play around with baking with watermelon. Perhaps I will actually try to use it as a flavoring agent in a future baking project. Anyways, happy eating.

[Ps – there’s a half marathon recap after dis recipe.]

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
Yield: 12 muffins

Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup oat flour (or all-purpose flour)
1/2 cup coca powder
1/3 cup brown sugar
1.5 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup almond or soy milk (can use regular if not going for vegan)
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 cup pureed watermelon
1 + 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips (double check for non-dairy if you’re vegan, or don’t if you don’t care)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a small bowl, combine almond milk and vinegar and set aside for at least 10-15 minutes. This will allow it to curdle. It’s like DIY buttermilk. It will provide leavening and acidity to the final product.

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine flours, sugar, cocoa powder, and baking soda. Whisk to combine.

4. Use a food processor or blender to puree a cup of cubed watermelon.

5. Combine dry and wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Add one cup chocolate chips.

7. Line a muffin tin (tray? whatever) with 12 muffin cup things. Spoon batter into each. It may help to use an ice cream scoop for this. Trust me here it’ll change your life.

8. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup (or more) chocolate chips all over the top of the muffins.

9. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Meanwhile, clean bowl with spatula via your mouth. Your dog may park herself in front of the oven and watch you do this.

10. Cool completely and eat. These taste better cold. I would recommend storing them in the fridge. They taste fudgier that way. And/or mashed up into Greek Yogurt.

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EDIT 07/14/2019:

Vegan Blueberry Flax Breakfast Muffins

Ingredients:

Directions:

Blackberry Fruit Dumplings

Whole-Wheat Rosemary Tomato Focaccia

Cherry Chia Museli Bread

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