Blueberry Ginger Choc 'n' Lemon Muffins

OK, I just invented my own favorite muffin recipe of all time! :-) The decadent combination of juicy blueberries with melting chocolate, candied ginger and tart fresh lemon zest is dangerously addictive! Oh yummmmmmmmmmy!! 

This a perfect consolation dessert in the cold wet weather, when you just want to snuggle up with a book in a cosy corner somewhere. And the rich welcome aroma of warm cinnamon and chocolate fills the house while these are baking - good for chasing away the pre-winter blues methinks! :-)

Makes 14 medium sized muffins. Vegan.

Moist, fluffy and bursting with goodies and sweet spice flavors. . .

Ingredients:

Approx 2 1/4 cups sprouted wheat pancake and waffle mix (Arrowhead Mills)

Approx 1 cup sprouted wheat flour (Arrowhead Mills)

1 heaped tsp baking powder

3 tsp cinnamon powder

1/2 tsp nutmeg powder

A pinch of clove powder

A pinch of sea salt

2 TBSP lemon zest

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped candied ginger (Trader Joe's)

1 cup frozen organic blueberries

Mix all dry ingredients. Add lemon zest, choc chips and candied ginger. Mix, then add frozen blueberries and mix again.

Blend together the following til smooth:

I banana

1 1/4 cup maple syrup

3/4 cup safflower oil

1 TBSP vanilla essence

 Approx 1/2 cup of water

Pour this into the dry ingredients and mix evenly. Fill into paper muffin cases in a muffin tray. Allow to sit for 20 mins or more before baking. 

Make sure you lightly oil the muffin tray to avoid burning the muffin cases and muffins while baking. Bake for approx 35 mins in a pre-heated oven at 380 degrees Fahrenheit.

Remove from oven and allow to cool. Peel off paper cases from the muffins before completely cooled. Offer with love and serve with tea, or however you desire. Very more-ish!! :-)

Ekadashi Banana Almond 'n' Ginger Muffins

By popular request I'm posting this recipe for Ekadashi muffins. FYI, folks, if you are wondering, "what the heck is Ekadashi," it refers to a bi-monthly fast abstaining primarily from grains,beans and peas, which is observed in the Krishna community.

When you cant use regular flour in baking, and don't have much experience with alternative flour substitutes, the end result often is dense gluey cakes etc., as probably every person who tried baking on Ekadashi days has experienced at some point!! I developed this recipe after some trial and error, and really you would never know these muffins don't contain wheat, except that they're lighter, and if possible even more delicious than regular muffins.

This recipe is very similar to the wheat-free muffin recipe I posted a while back, but here goes for posterity.

Ingredients

Approx 2 cups freshly & finely ground almonds
Approx 2 cups buckwheat flour
Approx 2 cups tapioca flour
1 1/2 level Tbsp baking soda
4 TBSP cinnamon powder
1 tsp nutmeg (optional)
1 1/3 cup maple syrup
3/4 cup safflower oil
2 pureed bananas
Approx 3-4 cups of water
1 cup cranberries/raisins/chopped dried fruits/orange peel - as you like!!
1 cup chopped crystallized ginger pieces
3/4 cup flax seeds
Sunflower seeds for sprinkling in the muffin tray

Method

Preheat oven - 385 Fahrenheit

Mix all dry ingredients in a big bowl. Blend together the wet ingredients and pour into the dry ones. Mix well.
The dough should be medium runny and kind of goopy (that's the buckwheat being itself). The flax seeds and cranberries are going to soak up lots of that liquid, dont worry! ;-)

Oil the muffin trays, sprinkle with sunflower seeds and fill in the dough. Bake approx 30 mins, til muffins are a lovely chocolate color. If the muffin springs back when you lightly press your finger into the surface its ready. Allow to sit awhile to steam themselves loose from the edges of their cups -- this especially if you filled the muffin dough in generously to the brim -- then they will come out of the muffin tray quite easily.


Makes approx 18 muffins. Praise the Lord for giving you a grand dessert this day and be happy! :-)

Carob Chip Spice Muffins

I made these tasty muffins for our lunch dessert today. Makes approx 14 muffins. To make them vegan simply use banana instead of yogurt as the "egg re-placer". Check 'em out! :-)

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup wheat germ
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 Tbsp baking soda
3 Tbsp cinnamon powder
1 1/2 Tbsp nutmeg powder
1 cup carob chips
1 cup raisins
1 cup crystallized ginger small pieces
2 Tbsp vanilla natural essence
1 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 cup safflower oil
1/2 cup plain yogurt or 1 banana mashed into a puree (I like using banana because it gives flavor)
Approx 4 cups water - use as needed to make a medium runny batter that drops from spatula slowly but easily.

Method

Mix all dry ingredients. Mix all wet ingredients separately. Then mix everything together. Oil the muffin trays, sprinkle with oat flakes, wheat bran or something else to help prevent sticking. Fill batter into muffin tray and bake in a preheated oven (385 degrees) for approx 25 mins or until golden brown. To test if down simply press your finger tip to the surface lightly, it will spring back when done.

Serve warm or cooled, straight or with apple sauce, custard, cream etc. You can glaze them if you like.