Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Vegan Cranberry Orange Muffins + Some Exciting News!


Hey all!

*sigh* Where to begin? I feel so out of touch with the blogging world, it's been a good three weeks since I've posted anything and I've barely read other people's blogs. Life just gets crazy sometimes and since this blog is currently just a hobby for me it's usually the first to go. I've been busy with finishing up my certificate program, planning a trip to Puerto Rico with my bestie, planning out my new business, learning how to design a website, planning other trips, planning a wedding... 'cause oh yeah....

I GOT ENGAGED!

Yay!
Sam and I are super excited, but really busy planning a destination wedding in less than 6 months. If you guys have any tips or words of advice, I'd love to hear them!

But for now, back to the muffins!



This recipe was a result of one of those oh-so-wonderful times when you pull things from your refrigerator and pantry and throw them together in the hope that it turns into something delicious...and then it does. I get so excited when that happens! I could go on and on about how wonderful these muffins taste and how the zestiness (totally a word) of the oranges and the tartness of the cranberries are the perfect way to invigorate your taste buds first thing in the morning, but I'm not.
 They're good. Just trust me.


Vegan Cranberry Orange Muffins


Adapted from this recipe.
  • 1 tablespoon flax seed + 3 tablespoons warm water
  • 1/2 cup unrefined coconut oil, melted
  • 1 orange, juiced and zested
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 2 2/3 cup whole spelt flour
  • 3/4 cup pure cane sugar
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 3/4 cup fresh cranberries, sliced
Makes 12 muffins.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease muffin tin with coconut oil or line with muffin liners and set aside. In a small bowl combine flax seeds with water and set aside. In a large bowl, combine coconut oil, orange juice and zest, flax seed mix and apple cider vinegar. In a separate bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Add the dry mix to the wet and stir slightly. Add in the almond milk and stir til just combined, be careful not to over mix. Fold in the cranberries. Spoon the batter into the muffin tins so that they are each 3/4 of the way full or the batter is dispersed evenly. Place muffin tin in the oven and bake for approximately 25 minutes or until a toothpick can be inserted into one of the muffins and removed cleanly. Allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before serving. Try not to eat them all. 




What do you do to help you stay focused and get things accomplished when you're busy?


8 comments:

  1. Trust me, too! These muffins are amazing!! Oh, and YEAH!!! WE'RE ENGAGED!!! I LOVE YOU!!!

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  2. Ah! Those colors just speak to me! Need to decorate a room in orange, cranberry and teal so I can eat those muffins in bliss! Will I be able to find spelt flour at a regular grocery store? Also, what's your go to almond milk brand?

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    1. Haha Julie! Yeah, you should be able to find spelt flour at HEB, that's where I've been getting it and if not you can substitute wheat flour, maybe a mix of white and wheat so the orange flavor isn't overpowered. And I wouldn't say I really have a go to brand for almond milk. I like Califia Farms because the ingredients are super simple, but I've only found that at Whole Foods. I buy organic if possible, from there I just compare price and ingredients and figure out the best deal.

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  3. I enjoy lots of your recipes but I never have all the ingredients available. Can you suggest some main ingredients I should always have on hand.

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    1. Absolutely. Many of my baking recipes involve whole spelt flour, unrefined coconut oil, ground flax seeds, pure vanilla extract, coconut sugar or pure cane sugar, unsweetened almond milk and then the usual ingredients like sea salt, baking powder or soda. I always keep dark chocolate chips, chia seeds, unsweetened shredded coconut, bananas and raw cacao powder. If you have those ingredients you can probably make at least the base for more than half the recipes on this blog.

      That was a great question, thanks for asking!

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  4. Oh my gosh that's so exciting! Congratulations!! Will you be cooking any of the food yourself? Also these muffins look so yummy :)

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    Replies
    1. Aww thanks! At this point I think the only think i'll be making is a little sweetheart cake for us to cut at the reception. Stay tuned for recipes b/c I'm going to start experimenting soon!

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